


I Want You

by CelestialBound



Series: Necrophiliac Desires [4]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - 1970s, Alternate Universe - 1980s, Alternate Universe - Serial Killers, Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Anal Sex, Angst, Animal Death, Asphyxiation, Beaches, Blackmail, Blood, Blow Jobs, Bonfires, Broken Bones, Bugs & Insects, California, Campfires, Car Accidents, Carnival, Castration, Cemetery, Choking, Date Rape Drug/Roofies, Drive-In Theater, Drowning, Drug Use, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Ferris Wheels, First Time, Fluff, Forests, Fourth of July, Funerals, Gore, Grooming, Hallucinogens, Hand Jobs, Historical Accuracy, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Indiana, Inspired by Fanart, Inspired by Music, Jealousy, Kidnapping, LSD, M/M, Making Out, Manipulation, Masturbation, Necrophilia, Ocean, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paranoia, Photography, Pining, Porn Video, Possessive Behavior, Skull Fucking, Slow Burn, Slurs, Smoking, Stabbing, Stalking, Third Wheels, Torture, Video Cameras, Vomiting, Voyeurism, Washington, bowling, hamstringing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-05
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:28:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 31
Words: 121,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22997710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialBound/pseuds/CelestialBound
Summary: In the early summer of 1976 at a local beach in Los Angeles, California, Daniel manages to find himself falling for a stranger who just so happens to skate past him. Overeager to enter his life, Daniel manages to introduce himself despite the presence of a bitter third wheel. Despite how well it goes, it's not good enough for the two strangers to engage in further communication with him. Yet Daniel takes fate into his own hands manually, knowing that him and David are meant to be together. Unfortunately for them both, Daniel's arise of intrusive thoughts don't remain only fantasies.
Relationships: Daniel/David (Camp Camp), Daniel/Edward Pikeman (Camp Camp), David/Jasper (Camp Camp)
Series: Necrophiliac Desires [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1309136
Comments: 203
Kudos: 163





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> Thissss was supposed to be posted AFTER I had finished it all, but I swear to god I've been so fucking slow with writing, and it's my birthday so why not start uploading what I have done? Don't worry-- I'm not gonna start anything else/work on other wips until this one is done for good. I made a promise to myself I'd actually get this finished and not put it on hold like everything else I put down and stopped updating. I really wanted to wait for this to be over with so I'd also have a proper uploading schedule, but now that I'm posting this early I can't guarantee that it'll be super consistent, but I do have a looot of this done so uhh yeah! 
> 
> **Another note: The first couple chapters were done sooooo long ago, like, almost a year ago? If it starts off kinda cheesy I'm sorry for that I hope I've improved since, but idk, fics in general be cheesy as hell sometimes, especially mine. guh . (Also I tried to go for historical accuracy, but who knows how well my research really is. hopefully it's good enough or people just don't notice since I doubt my readers were alive during this time, but if you are or happen to notice small mistakes, I apologize beforehand lmao.)
> 
> alrighty I know this is getting long but this is also important. This shit was mainly inspired by someone I idolize so fucking much because they posted some gorgeous masterpiece fanart awhile ago and a song that is just... so beautiful and catchy. I got a playlist for this mess of a fic I'll link that here in a moment (might clean it up later). Anyways, to the person this is for (you know who you are), love your art, thank you for letting me do this.
> 
> Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4bBwD6go40vkbAve23CyGl?si=8IB73VZLSpa-zUHlz0HQBQ
> 
> thank y'all i'll shut up now. mwuh

It was the summer of 1976 when Daniel saw him for the first time. Auburn hair, green eyes, flushed skin, and an overall atmosphere of complete and utter perfection. Daniel himself was a man of clean-cut aspects when it came to his hygiene and looks, the man everyone would fawn over, but he was never interested in anyone. Not until he witnessed what he believed to be his soulmate at a nearby beach in California. 

Daniel was sitting at a bench, his back facing the water and sand, reading _The Anarchist Cookbook_ that had a different cover for a lack of suspicion. It was just a pastime for him to read things involving weapons and murder. It was fascinating compared to the dull _Playboy_ magazines that most men read in their free time, or even _True Detective_ which was overly sexualized and seemed to be declining in quality over the years anyways. No, Daniel had to start getting his hands on other works such as this book, something he could actually find interest in. 

Yet out of the corner of his eye he couldn’t help but notice someone that skated past on the sidewalk. The man who strolled by wore a dark green t-shirt and black shorts that were tight against his figure, and he skated with white roller skates that stood out as they were spotless and seemed to glow under the sun’s intense glare. Daniel was so focused on him that he didn’t realize that another man was following, trying to make sure he didn’t fall. They were both smiling and Daniel tried to look back down to mind his own business. Then he heard the ginger laugh.

That was the first moment he realized that maybe he could feel an attraction to someone else. He glanced back over as the man almost tripped but was held up by the other man that was with him. They both laughed and were joking about something that Daniel couldn’t quite make out. The ginger then yelped as he tripped and the other male caught him. Daniel felt a tinge of jealousy. He studied the other male, he wasn’t as thin as the ginger but still pretty slim. He had a purple collared shirt with a yellow vest with grey khakis, an outfit that most people wouldn’t dare wear on a hot day like this one. Daniel was similar though, he wore white pants that went all the way down to his ankles despite the heat. He kept looking over though, studying his competition. Dirty blonde hair and greyish blue eyes with an average complexion for a Caucasian man. 

Daniel scoffed lightly to himself. The guy didn’t seem that appealing at all compared to his counterpart. Daniel tried not to brag constantly, but he couldn’t help but feel egotistical at how much better he had it than most men his age. For example, he was born with bright blonde hair that people tried to achieve through damaging their own while trying to brighten their natural shade. Along with his hair, he had light blue eyes that people would often compare to crystals, rather than a darker duller shade like the dirty blonde from afar. Pellucid, they were. Clear like Caribbean waters you could see through, despite his emotional taciturn. Yet even with his reticence he couldn’t help but give a glare of judgement. 

He stared both of them down with his diamond-like eyes, sharp enough that they’d pierce through someone’s confidence if they had any. The dirty blonde actually looked over at him, then back to his partner to say something,

“That guy is staring.”

“Who?” 

“I don’t want to cause a ruckus.” He glanced back over just for a second. “But he’s still doing it…”

The ginger looked over to the man but gave a smile towards him. Daniel blinked and looked away. That was the first time he couldn’t meet someone’s eyes. 

“Oh, hm, he looked away.”

The dirty blonde glanced back, “He seems like a creep… Come on, David. We should move away.”

“Okay but hold my hand again, Jasper.” He held it out for the blonde to take.

Jasper did and guided him over to a concrete ledge for him to sit down. Daniel could still see them, they were just further down the sidewalk. Now he couldn’t focus on his book, too bothered by their presence. Daniel contemplated going up to his interest to ask him out on a random date, but it seemed too straightforward, and considering the other male there, and how close they seemed, he could have been in a relationship. Daniel tapped his book in contemplation. It wasn’t like he had trouble reeling people in, his charming personality mixed with his looks would never steer someone away, but the other blonde already seemed to dislike him. Ah well, he thought, that wasn’t his goal anyways.

He closed the book and carried it in his left hand as he walked towards them. Jasper immediately turned his head when the stranger approached.

Daniel smiled, “I couldn’t help but notice you needed help with skating.”

“Oh I’m fine! I’m just trying to get the hang of it.” The ginger replied.

His voice was so mesmerizing. Daniel completely drowned out Jasper’s presence due to it, “Well, I’d be glad to assist you.”

“I think I’m fine, thank you though.”

Jasper spoke, “Yeah, he’s already pretty good at it. I don’t think he needs any more help.”

“I see.” He said, not looking away from his main focus. “Well my name is Daniel.”

The redhead smiled, “I’m David, and this is my friend Jasper.”

Thank god, they were just friends. And now he finally knew his name: _David._ It seemed to be perfectly complementary with his physical appearance. Simple but fitting.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Daniel said, taking David’s hand, bending over slightly to kiss the back of it gently. 

David blushed with wide eyes, then gave an extremely awkward smile. Jasper pulled the other blonde back,

“What the hell are you doing?”

Daniel flashed his smile towards him, “Whatever do you mean?”

“You don’t just touch someone like that. Especially a stranger. What the fuck are you on dude?”

“It’s fine, Jasper.” David said. “He’s just being friendly.” 

Jasper then looked to the book that Daniel was reading, commenting on it, “ _Watership Down._ Well, at least you have a good taste in novels. It's a bit weird to be reading that at the beach though.”

“I suppose.” Daniel glanced at the cover then lowered his arm back down to his side.

“I think we’re ready to go now though, right David?”

“Yeah, sure.” He stood back up, almost losing his balance again and Daniel held his hand to keep him steady. “Oh, uhm, thank you.”

“No problem at all.” 

Jasper held back the urge to groan out loud, “It was nice meeting you… Uh…” He had already forgotten his name.

“Daniel.”

“Right.”

David finally let go of Daniel’s hand, leaving an empty feeling for the blonde. He grabbed a hold of the book with both hands, 

“Well, I guess I’ll let you both go now. Have fun.”

“Have fun reading!” David exclaimed before skating off. 

Jasper gave one last glare and then ran after the redhead. Daniel tapped the back of the book and closed his eyes as he thought about what he wanted to do to his newfound crush. He would have expected the obvious set of affections such as kissing, marriage, sex. They were more violent than that though. Daniel thought about how easily he could have crushed his hand with his own, how amusing it would be to watch him bust his skull against the concrete if he were to accidentally fall, or be tripped. 

It caught him off guard. He re-opened his eyes to rid the thoughts. Then he stared at the fake cover, pondering about what he should do now that David was gone, considering the realistic probability they would ever meet again if he just let him go. He lowered the book to his side and stared ahead.

Guess he’d just have to follow him home.


	2. Voyeur

Daniel followed them around, watched as David tripped over and over again, constantly being picked back up by Jasper who seemed to be much more interested in his friend than he’d ever dare to admit. Jasper would constantly ask David if he was okay, if he needed help, and even offered to switch out the skates for his own shoes. David would constantly say it’s fine, brushing off Jasper’s concerned attempts to get David to realize that he cared about him more than a friend should. Daniel hated it, how desperate Jasper was. It was quite hypocritical of him to think that, as he was just as desperate to get David’s attention.

He waited until David skated up to his home, Jasper following behind. David took the skates off before going up the steps, and his friend followed along. Daniel expected Jasper to say his goodbyes at the door, but instead they both went in together. He cursed under his breath, knowing that they must have been roommates. 

Instead of simply walking away or watching from across the street, he scanned the area before rushing over to the side of the house next to the garage. He could see into the kitchen through an uncurtained window and could make out the two in the middle of the hallway talking. After their small interaction, David then disappeared down the hall where Daniel couldn’t see. Jasper took his shoes off and went over to the opposite side of the house where the living room was, becoming out of sight as well. He assumed David went into a backroom, until he heard the other male shut the window upstairs a few moments after. He saw the curtains move slightly above him. Daniel exhaled, glanced around, spotting the maple tree behind him. It really came down to this. He really  _ was _ desperate.

He dropped his book down onto the grass then reached for a lower branch, lifting his body with only his arms until he could use the stump to kick himself up all the way. He climbed until he was at the same level as the window. He peered in, but stayed behind a gathering of leaves so he couldn’t easily be sought out. David was there, sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning down to take his socks off. Daniel knew he was about to undress, and his own body reacted to the thought of witnessing him in such a vulnerable state. Oh how easy it would be to blackmail David now if he had a camera on him. He wished he had one just to capture the beauty that would be splayed out in front of him, like a motion picture through the window, acting as a screen for only him to view. 

His dick throbbed under his pants as David began to strip down, taking off his shirt first, then his shorts and boxers. Daniel rubbed his dick through the fabric, trying to keep from taking it out to masturbate while on the branch. David disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower. Daniel groaned in frustration, eager for the show to continue. While David was in there, he decided to take it out anyways to start pumping it as he waited.

He daydreamed about leaving bite marks against David’s skin, hard enough to draw blood and purple marks to appear. He thought about tying him up, fucking him until he screamed, hitting him until he cried. He wanted to taint him, wanted to desecrate that innocent face through violent acts that would be frowned upon by most. It would be consensual at least, he told himself. 

Something about David just ignited a spark within him, giving him urges that were brand new, or maybe ones that were always there, but were just being awakened. If he could just get a hold of him, get him to fall into a woven web, get him to  _ submit,  _ then maybe he’d finally be satisfied with living this dull life. Perhaps David was the holy grail he had been searching for all this time. All these long years of living a mundane life and he needed some kind of new thrill, or else he’d off himself. He’d thought about it before despite his privileges. He had a decent family dynamic, graduated from high school and college with outstanding grades, was currently attending law school, had his own house despite his young age, and could get a girlfriend any time he wanted to. But he didn’t want that. He only wanted David now.

  
  


When David came out of the bathroom, the steam poured out and he walked into the bedroom with a towel around his waist as if he were purposely teasing his outside voyeur. 

“Just take the damn thing off…” Daniel quietly muttered in irritation. 

His cock twitched in anticipation when David grabbed a hold of the towel and took it off, tossing it to the bed. Daniel groaned and pumped himself even quicker. If Jasper wasn’t in the house, who knows what he would have done. His urge to get intimate with David was intense to say the least, but he knew he couldn’t pass the boundaries that were already set in stone. Not yet. 

David was putting on a new set of clothes when Daniel managed to orgasm abruptly. He moaned in satisfaction, getting semen all over his clothes. He came down from his climax within a few seconds, still gazing into the window as David hopped onto the bed to read a book. Daniel kept stroking himself off, half-hoping David would notice him there just so he could see the look on the other male’s face. It would be quite amusing. The ginger was oblivious however as he flipped through the pages of a copy of Ray Bradbury’s  _ Fahrenheit 451  _ to find where he had previously left off.

Daniel sat there for approximately five minutes before getting down from the tree. He brushed himself off of the bits and pieces of dirt and tree bark from his clothes, then clicked his tongue at the mess he made. He’d have to do laundry tonight, but he was at least thankful that he was wearing white so no one would notice if he ran into anyone on the way home. He made his way back, glancing back towards the house, taking note of the address before leaving. 


	3. Art of Understanding

It was just the next day when Daniel woke up, reaching for his book that he kept on the nightstand so he could read before starting his day. It wasn’t there so he figured he must have misplaced it, till he remembered that the last place he had it was outside David’s house. With a curse he got up and immediately got dressed so he could rush over to get it before it was found. Instead of all white he went with a long black trench coat over his usual style, topped off with a dark fedora to avoid recognition. He looked like he’d be a character from his favorite TV series, _The Twilight Zone,_ especially if he put more effort into slicking his hair back and decided to add a tie. 

He repeated the address in his head, glad that he didn’t forget after sleeping. He practically ran out the door, slamming it behind him as he rushed to his car. A white Volkswagen Beetle that his father had given to him before he came to California. He kept it in good shape; no dents, scratches, or even dirt. Just a white glossed coat that complimented his bland aesthetic. 

He started the engine, checked his mirrors, then drove off to the address that he had memorized. He parked a few blocks down before stepping out and making his way towards David’s house. He casually strode along until he was in the front yard. He peered to the side, going up to the spot where he sat the book down before climbing up the tree. There was nothing there, even when he looked around the trunk. David approached him and Daniel looked back at him shocked.

“I think you left your book here.” David said. He was dressed in a white shirt, blue jeans, and a sun hat with brown gardening gloves. He looked like a stereotypical farmer, a cheesy getup just like Daniel’s own. He continued, “It’s back inside though, I didn’t want it to get wet since it looks like it’s going to rain today.” He peered up at the semi-grey clouds. “Let’s go inside shall we?”

Daniel nodded silently and followed along. He took his hat off once they entered the house out of politeness, and David did the same, but set his on a coat hook by the door. He went over to the kitchen and took his gloves off as well.

“Feel free to sit down.” David said, washing his hands in the sink. “The book is right there on the table.”

Daniel didn’t sit down, but he took a hold of the book with his free hand. He was expecting the redhead to ask him about why he followed him home. But David simply turned around and smiled, 

“Can I offer you a drink?”

“I’m fine… Look, about following you home--”

“It’s okay.” David cut him off reassuringly.

“What?”

“I could tell you liked me… I’ll admit, it’s a bit weird that you did that, but it’s understandable because we wouldn’t have met again if you didn’t.”

At first Daniel had to pause to process what was said to him due to the unpredictable reaction. He then smiled and sighed out of relief, “Thank god you understand. I didn’t mean to intrude on your privacy or anything, but I needed to see you again. And once I reached your house I couldn’t just run up to your door and blatantly tell you… I didn’t think it through. I should have said more before you left.” 

David had his back against the counter, anxiously tapping the surface with his finger. 

Daniel took notice to it, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing! It’s nothing.” 

“I can leave if you want me to.” 

“No no! I insist. It’s nothing.” David repeated, trying to reassure. He was doing a poor job however due to the obvious look of worry matched with a slight panic in his voice. Daniel _knew_ something was wrong, but he was hesitant on leaving until he was sure David was okay with it. Until he could guarantee they’d be seeing each other again. He tried to make small talk for a few minutes, noticing David glance up towards the clock occasionally above the kitchen table above the blonde’s head that ticked away seemingly slowly. 

“Where’s your friend?” Daniel asked.

“He’s out right now. Shopping.” Was David’s short reply. 

Awkward. Tense. Excruciating. 

But he remained seated, that was, until he heard two car doors slam shut outside.

“That must be him.” David said. 

Obviously Daniel wasn’t _that_ dense to not notice that it was not one but two sounds. It couldn’t have simply been his roommate coming home from a shopping trip. It didn’t add up. With a quick hop up out of his seat and a dash to the door to leave, he was met with two police officers. David rushed over and they immediately took a hold of the blonde.

“What the fuck, you called the cops on me?!” Daniel asked David angrily.

“I saw the book…” David explained, not daring to look him in the eyes out of sudden guilt.

They grabbed it from him, then pulled his hands behind his back to handcuff them. 

One of the men stepped forward to talk to the ginger, “We’ll take care of him so no need to worry.” 

David nodded before they dragged him out. He was roughly handled into the backseat of the police car and then driven to the station. It was a silent ride full of apprehension since complying was his best option. Having an arrest record while becoming a lawyer would not be swept under the rug easily; it would destroy his reputation before he could even finish his schooling without being kicked out. 

After he was driven to the station they patted him down properly and he answered their questions, telling the same things over and over. That it was just an interest, that he didn’t do anything, that he didn’t even _plan_ to do anything. Yet they refused to believe him so they contained him and confiscated the book. He expected to be there for a while, going through the motions of who he could call once they would allow him to make one. He considered one of his classmates but having them know about the situation could create rumors. 

He stressed out in the empty cell until David unexpectedly came by to check on him. It was almost unbelievable, but after a few minutes of talking it out, Daniel was actually released without consequence and David apologized profusely to him in the hallway.

“I’m so sorry for that. I was just scared, especially without Jasper home. But after thinking it through, I believe that you weren’t actually dangerous. I think it was a mistake. I should have never gone on assumptions.” 

“It’s okay, I would have called the cops too if I was you. Not that because I’d ever do harm to you, but I did cross a line. Besides, it’s good to have some caution.”

No, despite the fantasies that had started sprouting in his mind, he’d never act upon them. No matter how urged he was to hurt David it’d never happen. 

David smiled sympathetically, “Will you forgive me? I understand if you won’t. I didn’t even give you a chance.”

“Of course. You were just worried after all.” He casually checked his watch, acting unphased, “I should probably leave you be then.”

David looked down with an expression that a girl would have when asking out her crush in a stereotypical romance, “Actually, I was thinking we could go out. Have a drink or something…” 

He really was asking him out on a date. It really was unbelievable. 

David continued, “After all you did want to get to know me, right?”

“Yes, but you don’t have to.” 

David looked up, “No no, I insist!”

Daniel smiled alluringly, “Then I’ll gladly take up that offer.”

His charming aura managed to get himself out of trouble, just like it always did when he was a teenager who didn’t do his schoolwork or stayed out too late on weeknights, or when he became an adult and ran a red light or jaywalked across the street. Everyone would let him off easily, usually without any punishment at all. Sometimes it would lead to people doing the exact opposite as well, like how David went from being fearful to enticed. 

As they were about to walk out, one of the cops handed Daniel back his book. 

“Don’t do anything stupid.” The older man warned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Thank you, officer.” Daniel said in an overly goody-goody tone to make the man roll his eyes. He took the book and then looked at David. “Well now that everything’s settled, how about I treat you to some coffee?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one to--”

Daniel copied his words from before, “I insist.”

They took David’s car since it was right out front. They decided to go to a small café in town by the beach where they had met the day before. David drove a green and brown Vega Estate Wagon, a car given to him from his uncle, Daniel found out while on the ride. When they arrived at a 50’s style café, they sat inside due to the heat, as David was in a long-sleeved shirt and Daniel in his trench coat. Daniel set his hat down on the table and they both sat in a booth by the window, ordering two regular coffees.

“Thank you.” David said simply after the waitress set down the cups. David immediately began putting cream and sugar into his drink, but Daniel was too focused on him to care about the coffee. David stirred it with a spoon and looked up with a smile, “The coffee here is amazing, so are the milkshakes.”

“I bet.” Daniel said, pushing the cup away. David watched in a confused daze. The blonde reached over the table to grab a hold of his free hand, hitting him with a serious question, “Was guilt the only reason why you bailed me out?”

David took the spoon out and put it in his mouth, humming in thought. Would it be too soon to admit his crush? After all, they didn’t even know each other. Complete strangers. One of whom followed the other home and owned a book that only terrorists would carry. But god, even if he was a terrorist he was so fucking attractive. But of course, he believed that the blonde just had niche interests. David knew what that was like, he always enjoyed reading books rather than watching television like most folk did. Daniel tapped on David’s hand for an answer and the ginger snapped out of it.

He took the silverware out of his mouth, “O-oh… I guess you just have a nice aura about you.”

“That’s good to hear.” Daniel slowly let go and straightened his back before leaning in his seat, taking the spoon out of his own coffee and tapping the side gently three times, “I assume you’re in school?”

“Yeah, I’m studying to become a school teacher.”

“What grade do you plan on teaching?” He put the spoon back in his drink and stirred the dark liquid that steamed. 

“Probably fifth.”

“So right before they start getting a bit more troublesome. Smart choice.”

“What about you? Are you in college?”

“Law school.”

“A lawyer, huh? Interesting. But it does suit you. Is that why you’re reading that book? To like, get inside a bad guy’s mind?”

Daniel chuckled, “Yeah, something like that.”

David finally started drinking his coffee, so Daniel took a drink of his own as well. David looked outside, watching the people pass by the window. Daniel on the other hand kept his gaze on the beauty in front of him. David’s eyelashes were so long, and when he fluttered his lids Daniel couldn’t help but feel that flutter in his chest. It really was a strange feeling. David then looked back over to him.

“So how long have you been in California?” David asked.

“Is it that obvious I’m not from here?”

“Just a bit. I at least can tell you’re not from the west coast.”

“Haven’t been here that long, about a year now I think.”

“So where are you originally from?”

“Indiana, you?”

“Washington state. Moved here with my uncle when I was five. I’m assuming you were with your parents?”

“Yeah, no siblings.”

“Me either. You know, it sucks growing up without anyone though. Besides my uncle I’ve only had Jasper. I know he may have come off as intimidating at first, but he’ll warm up eventually. He’s just protective.”

Intimidating wasn’t the right word to Daniel, he would have gone with plain nuisance.

“I had a lot of friends but never anyone I could get close to. But I feel like that’ll be different with us. You seem like a very open individual.”

David agreed, “Yeah, I never really got the point of keeping secrets. They’ll eventually spill anyway, right?”

“Most of the time.”

There were a few seconds of silence, but David continued with another question, “...So, a lawyer. Did your parents force you into it, or was it your own decision?”

“My own choice. I’ve always been one to defend others, and I believe a lot of people are falsely accused. I want to help the innocent. Plus, it pays well.”

David was hit with a sudden guilt, “I’m sorry for falsely accusing you earlier.”

Daniel gestured, “No big deal. After all, I was guilty for following you… This might seem random by the way, but just to make sure, are you and Jasper dating? You two just seem really close, living with each other and all.”

“O-oh, what? No… We’re just close friends.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“Just curiosity. But anyways, sorry for the personal question. So what are your hobbies?”

“I just got into roller skating since Jasper said it would suit me. I also like reading, going to the beach, camping, films, and especially photography.”

“Photography? I’d like to see that if you wouldn’t mind.”

“I’ll make sure to show you sometime.”

“So we plan on meeting again after this?”

“I don’t see why not.” David said with a smile before putting the edge of his cup to his lips.

That was definitely a confirmation of David’s fondness.

David looked at the hat on the table and then chuckled, “Okay, before I ask about your hobbies. I really have to ask, what’s with the getup? Were you trying to be inconspicuous or something?” 

Daniel opened his mouth to say something but felt embarrassed, pausing before he could get it out, “Uh, yeah. Why? Does it look bad?”

David laughed for real this time, shaking his head, “No, no it looks fine. But it definitely does the exact opposite of what you want. You’re in Cali, specifically Los Angeles, the only people who wear that here are usually people who work for the government, actors, and flash exhibitionists.” He grinned, “You’re lucky you didn’t get noticed sooner.”

“Duly noted…” Daniel looked at him still in disbelief, “Is it really like that?”

David nodded, “Yeah. Plus, you were in a casual neighborhood. Certain areas that would pass more I guess since everyone is always trying to one-up each other. For example, if you’re near Hollywood Boulevard it’s hard to stand out because _everyone_ is trying to do it.”

“I’ve never actually been to many big cities, and I hardly get out much here. I’ve been forcing myself to at least read outside more though, as you could have guessed.” 

“It’s definitely a lot to handle sometimes with all the crowds. It’s almost suffocating. And it’s impossible to get noticed when you’re boring, like me for example.”

“I agree on that first part. When I leave the house it often feels like I’m surrounded by flies and I can barely hear myself think over the buzz. Yet the countryside isn’t all too great either. Then you have to deal with literal flies.” He smiled. “But I doubt that second part is true. We could have been standing on the Walk of Fame and I still would have only been awestruck by you. I would have had you sign your autograph in my book.”

“I highly doubt that.”

“Well you’d be wrong. I would have tapped Jasper on the shoulder like, _‘Excuse me, who’s this model? I can’t believe I haven’t seen him sooner!’..._ ” Daniel gave a questionable look, “Are you sure you’re not a model?”

“I’m not.”

“Oh, when did you quit?”

“Oh shut up!” David exclaimed, despite not being able to hide his delight through his grin. He picked up his cup after shaking his head. “What do you do for fun anyways?” He asked before taking a sip to change the subject to avoid Daniel’s direct flirting.

The question stumped Daniel at first. He really had to think about it. He didn’t really do much besides read recreationally and study for school, and occasionally volunteered at a local hotline for the suicidal. If anything, _he_ was the boring one.

“Well you already know that I enjoy reading as well,” He started out, “Studying for school I suppose… I also collect knives as a hobby.”

_‘Wrong move.’_

“Knives?” David asked, suddenly concerned.

“Don’t worry, I don’t use them.” Daniel tried to reassure. “They’re just for show. My family has collected them for quite some time now, my dad gave me his collection and I just built it up even more.”

“Ah, I see.” David finished his coffee, but then looked up to ask a serious question, “May I ask what you saw in me? Certainly you must have seen something in me to decide to follow me home. I have a hard time believing it was for my ‘looks’, or even just me being nice compared to my friend.”

Daniel looked at the darkness in the white ceramic cup, “Well, I’ve never felt anything intense for anyone in my life before. No attraction whatsoever. But then I saw you… And I heard you laugh.” He looked up. “Call it cliché but I think I had a love-at-first-sight moment.”

A heat started to radiate from David’s face, “Really?”

“I’m serious.”

“That’s awfully romantic… I don’t think anyone’s taken that much interest in me before.”

_‘Sucks to be Jasper.’_ Daniel quickly thought humorously before replying, “Well believe me when I say this, but you really know how to captivate a man’s full attention.” 

David gave a teasing smile, “If it weren’t so early I’d ask you to come back to my place. You know, to get to know each other better…” He reached over to grab a hold of one of Daniel’s hands, squeezing gently.

_‘You really outdid yourself this time.’_ Daniel thought to himself. _‘He’s seriously hitting on me? This early?’_ He then smirked, “Well there’s always my place.”

David reeled his hand back slowly with a sigh, “I really wish I could, but me and Jasper planned to hit up the skating rink today.” 

He tried to not let his sudden disappointment show too much, “I see. Maybe another time.”

“Of course!” David exclaimed, then took a moment to look outside as the clouds got darker than they were before they came inside before glancing back to the blonde. “I should drive you back to your own car now. I don’t want to keep Jasper waiting too long, and I’m sure you have other things to do.” 

He immediately got up to pay, which Daniel told him it was fine, but he insisted. The two left in David’s car and only made slight conversation during the drive back to his house where Daniel’s Beetle was parked nearby. Before leaving, Daniel asked a question as it started to lightly rain as they stood on David’s front porch.

“Is it okay if I ask for your number?” Daniel asked. “It’ll be easier to plan our next outing.”

“Oh yeah, give me a moment.” David said before stepping inside and coming back after a minute with a piece of paper folded three times to create a small rectangle. He handed it over as he brushed some of his hair back. “If I don’t answer then sometimes Jasper will pick it up. I’ll let him know ahead of time so he won’t avoid answering.”

“Thanks, I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay,” David said smiling. “I look forward to it.”

Daniel smiled back and turned around to walk off but David grabbed his shoulder to stop him. He glanced back and David’s lips met his cheek. David whispered a quick, _‘I’m sorry about earlier’_ and let Daniel be on his way. Daniel eagerly wanted to kiss him back, shove him against the wall and fuck him where his neighbors could see, but held back the urges. Instead he walked down the steps and made his way to his vehicle, already planning his next move. 


	4. First Call

It was around nine in the evening when the blonde called. Both David and Jasper had just walked in through the door when the white kitchen phone began to ring, and David gleefully went to go pick it up. 

“Hey!” David greeted without hiding his enthusiasm. “Perfect timing, me and Jasper actually just got back home.”

“Who is that?” Jasper asked as he took off his shoes.

“Hold on a second.” He told the blonde before covering the phone with his palm, “It’s just Daniel.” 

“You mean the guy you arrested earlier today?”

“I told you that was just an accident…”

Jasper raised an eyebrow, “How do you _accidentally_ call the cops on someone?”

“It was just--” David heard Daniel on the other end and uncovered the phone to reply, “Sorry, Jasper is curious.”

“Oh I don’t mind saying hello to him as well.” Daniel said on the other line. He was sitting in the kitchen of his own home, head pressed against the black phone that was against his shoulder as he filled out a crossword puzzle. 

“Ah, alright. I’ll put him on.”

Jasper gave a look of shock, “W-wait I didn’t actually--”

David had already cut him off by handing him the phone, so Jasper went ahead and took a hold of it, stepping closer to the wall and placing the phone against his ear.

“Hello?” He asked.

Daniel gave a warm response, “Hey Jasper, you remember me, surely.”

“Yeah… The guy we met at the beach. The one with _Watership Down_ … Or, as David told me, the terrorist book. What were you doing with that, exactly?”

“As I told David before, it’s just a special interest that I have.”

“You’re interested in _terrorism?”_

Daniel actually laughed at that, “I mean, you have to admit, it’s an interesting subject. I’m actually studying to be a lawyer. It’s handy to know these types of things when going into that kind of field.”

Jasper gave a slight hum, “Mhm.” He glanced at David who impatiently tapped his foot. “I’ll let you go now, David seems pretty eager to talk to you.”

“Alright.” Daniel simply said. “I’ll catch you later then.”

“Yeah, later.” 

Jasper handed the phone back to the redhead and David smiled as he took it from him. Jasper went ahead and left the room, leaving him to it. David immediately sparked up a conversation,

“Sooo, Daniel, what have you been up to today?”

“Well, right now I’m just finishing up a crossword puzzle. I haven’t really been up to much ever since our departure. How about you?”

“I’m getting better at skating. I only fell five times today at the rink.”

“Only five?”

“Yes sir.”

“Compared to?”

“I honestly didn’t count how many times I fell while I was outside with Jasper the other day. Luckily you met me right as I was getting better.”

David may have not counted the times he fell, but Daniel still remembered how much he had tripped on his way home, it was seven times he lost his footing, and Jasper only caught him four of those times. If Daniel was in Jasper’s place then he knew David wouldn’t have fallen at all, his legs would be clean of bruises. Well, at least ones caused by skating.

“You know, I could give you some tips.” Daniel brought up.

“Like?”

“Mm, well it’s hard to tell you over the phone. I’ll just have to show you.”

“That just means you’re a bad teacher.”

Daniel used a playful sarcastic tone, “Well excuse me for not being the teaching expert here. But at least I can skate, so, should that be our first date then?”

“I can’t tell if this is how you’re hinting at wanting to hold my hand, or wanting to see me fall on my ass.”

Daniel chuckled, “Maybe a bit of both.”

“Ha-ha... I’ll have to take you up on that offer then, just to see how skilled you are at it.”

“I was actually into ice skating when I was younger, so you can put your trust in me.”

“Maybe I will then.”

David put his weight against the wall as they continued to talk, ranging from general topics such as books to discussing more personal subjects like childhood memories. Daniel described his time growing up as cheerful and lighthearted, saying he had no care in the world. David could mostly agree, besides the fact that he had a lack of parental figures there to guide him, especially since he was left alone most of the time. Daniel had also come from a semi-wealthy background, a family with a good balance maintaining their fortune, unlike David who barely had any toys as a kid. 

It was clear how differently their early lives had shaped them. David was more accustomed to the outdoors where he spent time exploring and playing pretend to shape his childlike head-in-the-clouds personality. Meanwhile Daniel’s schedule was full of a mix of studying and extracurricular activities such as indoor sports which made him prefer that lifestyle, all while making him more practical. 

Although there was so much to find out and the excitement of a new crush was energizing, it wasn’t enough to keep David awake. After just a couple hours of endless talking he fell asleep on the floor, back against the wall and head rested against his shoulder as the phone hung from the long wire. Daniel had hung up before further lulling him to sleep with whispered words of sweet nothings. 

  
  


David woke up to the sound and sight of snapping fingers in front of his face. He squinted and gazed up at his roommate who was worriedly staring down at him.

“I can’t believe you fell asleep like this.” Jasper said.

David groaned as he stretched his limbs and lazily brought the phone back up to its place on the wall before standing up. Then came a yawn as he made his way to the cabinets for a glass. Jasper watched as the other man filled it up with tap water and drank like his life depended on it. 

“So,” Jasper began, “You really trust him?”

“Daniel?”

“No, the other man you bailed out of jail.” Jasper said sarcastically. “Yes, Daniel.”

“Yeah, I misjudged him.”

“I still think it’s a bit too soon to be saying that… Be careful.” 

“I will. I’ll get to know him better on our date.”

“You’re… Dating him? Already?” Jasper asked in a disgusted shock.

“I-I meant-- No, it’s not a date. He’s just going to teach me how to skate.”

“Am I not good enough?”

“Ah what?! No! You’re fine Jasper it’s just--”

“I’m kidding,” Jasper interrupted with a smile. “He probably knows the shit better than I do. Besides, I gotta work tonight. Saturdays are always the busiest.”

“What time are you leaving?”

Jasper looked up to the clock on the wall, “Weekends we always go in late but make up for it with how long we stay open. I just have to be in by ten tonight.”

“Should I make breakfast then?”

“No, you’re fine. You should go back to sleep, in your own bed this time.”

“I can make coffee.”

“David, you’re going to be up all night, you should sleep while you can. It’s the weekend, just relax.”

“What if he calls?”

“He’s probably still asleep too. Come on, you’ll regret not listening to me.”

“Fine, I suppose you’re right. Besides, my back is killing me.” David brought a hand behind to feel his spine as he straightened it out. 

“My point exactly.”

“Well alright, good luck at work.”

“I should be getting back home around three, but I expect you back by midnight.”

“Okay, mother.” David joked as he began to walk out of the kitchen.

Jasper added to it, “And I expect you in bed by the time I come home.”

David gave a thumbs up as he walked away, disappearing upstairs back into his own room to sleep off the rest of the afternoon. 


	5. Roller Rink

Outside was dark by the time David had jerked awake, sitting up in bed with his hair in a mess and a drowsy expression that only looked worse as he reached for the bedside lamp chain and the light caused his eyes to instinctively squint. David wasn’t sure what had woken him up until it occurred a second time: a loud doorbell that rang throughout the house. He got up and headed for the door slowly, only picking up the pace when his after sleep daze wore off and he remembered his evening plans. He held the staircase railing to avoid tripping due to the lack of friction between his socks and the hardwood steps. He didn’t need to practice falling since it was expected that he’d be getting plenty of more ass-to-floor action later at the rink. 

The tall silhouette outside on the porch could be seen through the decorative glass, waiting patiently, yet ready to knock against the hard surface with the back of his fist. Daniel was just about to knock when the door swung open and David’s usual smile greeted him. 

“Hey.” David said, opening the door a bit wider.

“Did I disturb your sleep?” Daniel asked, sympathetic yet amused at David’s fluffed up head of hair.

“Well, you did but it’s my fault for sleeping all day.”

“My fault for keeping you up all night with my ramblings.”

“Oh please, I was the one who couldn’t shut up.” David let go of the handle, “Do you want to come in while I get myself fixed up?”

“Sure.”

David moved out of the way for Daniel and the door was shut gently behind him. The blonde walked a few steps forward, glancing towards the kitchen on his left and then to the living room on the right, taking in his surroundings. The floorboards creaked as David began to head back up the staircase, briefly mentioning for Daniel to _‘make himself at home’_. 

When the other male disappeared from sight, Daniel began to wander around, gracing the walls with his fingertips, breathing in the strong scent of artificial lemon from cleaning supplies on the linoleum floored kitchen. His mind started to wander to various questions regarding the house, such as who the original owner was and when it was built. By the framework of the building and the choice in wallpaper, plus the furniture style, he could tell it must have been old. His next immediate thought went back to David, despite him not being in the same room. As Daniel stood in the kitchen, creaks above him were audibly heard as David shuffled around upstairs, trying to make up his mind on what to wear out. 

Daniel pictured David up in his room, the one he got a glimpse of the day he stalked the other male. At the time he wasn’t focused on the room itself, but knew the walls were bright and was quite minimal. He simply pictured David going through his closet, getting ready in front of his bathroom mirror, and struggling to remain calm despite all the anxiety that came with a first date. Was it their first? Daniel sort of counted their dining shop experience as a date, despite it not being confirmed aloud. Tonight would be their technical first, and even _he_ was slightly nervous, so it was safe to assume David was most likely perfecting all that he could in such a short time frame upstairs. 

However it wasn’t that long until David scurried down the steps, carefully yet quickly as if there was a reason to rush. Except there _was_ a reason, despite Jasper not actually being in charge of another grown man, David still listened to him. Jasper was like the reasonable older brother David never had, a sibling formed by an emotional bond instead of blood. Besides, even without their closeness, David respected him as a roommate and that was enough to get him to come back home by curfew. 

“So where’s your roommate?” Daniel asked, noticing the lack of Jasper’s presence who he expected to be there to give him passive threats only using quick glares and indirect snide remarks.

David was sitting on the bottom steps, in the middle of tying a pair of red and white Vans as he replied without taking his focus off the laces, “He got a new job this week at the bowling alley. He’ll be gone until three.”

“No curfew then?” 

David hummed as he finished up the other shoe, standing up to look at his date, “I have to be back by midnight.”

“He doesn’t have to know.”

“It’d be rude of me if I didn’t.”

David noticed Daniel’s clothing, a simple white collared short-sleeved shirt and tan bell bottoms, matched with a dark brown leather belt and loafers. He brought it up before Daniel could bring up the curfew again,

“I expected you to wear something more flashy.” He placed a hand on his hip and smiled, staring at the popped collar rather than the blue eyes that gave a questioning look.

“Do I seriously seem like the type to you?” Daniel asked.

“Well, I assumed you’d want to show off, considering how highly you praised your own skills.”

“I don’t need to dress boldly to get people’s attention, if I want it, I’ll get it.” 

David approached him and leaned in close but as Daniel closed his eyes expecting a kiss, David fixed his collar and patted his chest lightly, “There.”

Daniel’s eyes opened, “Not even one?”

“You’ll get one _after_ you teach me how to skate.” David suggested before he picked up his skates that were by the front door and rushed to get out of the house. 

Daniel followed behind calmly as the other male opened up the passenger door to the Beetle, immediately shutting it behind him. After putting on their seatbelts, David punched Daniel lightly on the shoulder.

“Punch buggy!” He exclaimed.

Daniel looked at him confused, “What?”

“You own a Volkswagen but never heard of punch buggy? The game?”

“I have absolutely no clue what that is.”

“If you spot a Beetle you get to punch the person next to you.”

“Oh.” Daniel said, pausing for a moment before doing it back to him.

“Hey! That’s not how it works!” David yelled despite smiling.

“You said if I spotted one.”

“I meant who spotted it first, jerk.” David said, punching him another time.

“Now what was that one for?”

“Payback.”

“You hit me first.”

“Just drive already.” David laughed.

“The abuse I have to endure…” Daniel said sarcastically before starting the car.

On the way there they listened to pop songs on the car stereo as the windows rolled down, letting the warm night breeze mess up their hair. Occasional glances were shared but for the most part they quietly enjoyed the music, besides the few moments when a catchy chorus would play and David couldn’t help but hum along. David had his eyes closed by the time they arrived, but noticed the car slow down as they entered the parking lot and then came to a halt. He still had his eyes shut when Daniel turned off the engine and snapped his fingers. 

“You good?” Daniel asked.

David looked at him with sleepy eyes and a gentle smile, “Just tired.”

“I could take you back if you’d like.”

“Nah, you already took the effort into picking me up.” He yawned and then got out of the car. Daniel got his own skates out of the trunk and they headed inside where the familiar mix of cigarette smoke, flashing lights, and collective voices filled the building. They found an empty bench to put their roller skates on and Daniel tapped one of David’s.

“What?” David asked, shifting his glance.

“Are they tight enough?”

“I think so.”

Daniel got up, “Are you ready then?”

“Yeah--” David started before getting up, almost tripping immediately but was caught by his date. 

“You sure about that?”

David continued to grip the pale hands in front of him, wobbling a bit before standing up straight and letting go, “I’m just _really_ bad at this.”

“Everyone is at first. I can assure you that it’ll get easier, if you can make it to the main floor that is.” Daniel said, slowly skating backwards towards the rink. He spun himself around and headed towards the smooth wooden floor while David struggled behind him. Daniel waited by the edge as David placed one skate on the slick surface and immediately death-gripped the railing. He stared at the boards beneath him, almost in a trance. 

“You’re not going to learn properly if you keep your head down like that.” The blonde said as he glided forward just a few feet, lifting David’s chin up to meet his gaze. David closed his eyes, expecting their first kiss but unfortunately Daniel kept talking, removing the hand from his chin and snapping in front of his face to get his attention. 

“Time for a real lesson, because with how unbalanced you are I can tell Jasper didn’t actually give you advice. So, first off, eyes off the ground, keep your sight forward. Your whole posture needs to change as well. Drop your hips.”

David looked at him questionably, “Drop my what now?”

Daniel went up to him and grabbed his waist, “Your hips. You can’t skate straight like that. Bend your knees.”

David did as told, hoping his new instructor would keep his hands there the entire night, but was disappointed as soon as they left his sides. 

“Now your main focus should really be your feet.” Daniel said. “V-shape, heels together. Hips stay down.”

David adjusted his footing, bent his knees a bit and waited for more instructions.

“You’re going to want to shift your weight to whatever foot you’re putting forward and go back and forth with it. This isn’t like skateboarding where you have to kick your leg to move forward, you’ll end up kicking someone and most likely that person will end up being me.” Daniel briefly joked. “Anyways, let’s see you try it now.”

“If I end up kicking you on accident will you end up calling the cops on me this time?”

“Worse, I’ll embarrass you in front of everyone here.”

“Oh please, I could embarrass you without even trying.”

“So you’re going to purposely fail my expert roller skating class?”

“We’ll see.” David said with a bit of a smug expression. He then ran through the tips that Daniel had given him moments prior, getting back in that ready position before giving weak kicks.

“Lean, don’t kick.” Daniel reminded.

David tried again, looking down at his skates, and was quickly reminded once more to keep his chin up as well. His movements were slow at first but steady at least, and much more stable than all of his previous attempts at skating. The smooth floor was somewhat more intimidating due to how easy it was to increase in speed, but Daniel kept close behind as they moved along with the other people going around in the whirlpool of skates that filled the rink. Of course, it wasn’t long before Daniel started showing off, speeding past David and then spinning on his heels to face him while rolling backwards, somehow avoiding contact with the other skaters. David expected some kind of mocking remark, but instead he got a compliment from the other man.

“You’re doing really good so far.”

“Thanks! It’s getting more comfortable.”

“Just don’t get too cocky, it’s a rookie mistake. Always be prepared to fall.”

“Oh but you’re allowed to boast all you want?”

“Of course, I’ve been doing this for ye--” 

He made a quick yelp as his back met with someone else’s, followed by a quick embarrassed apology which forced him to face forward and stick closer to David’s side. His face was warm with humiliation as he looked down at the brown floorboards beneath them. 

“Chin up.” David repeated with his contagious smile and continued with an exaggerated mocking tone. “So what were you saying, _Mr. Slick?_ I believe you were going on about being an _expert_ at the _master_ skill of the _fine art_ known as roller skating… Or should I say, the easier version of ice skating, which you _clearly_ are also a renowned master of.”

“Okay, okay. I got it. But I wouldn’t be using that tone when you still don’t know how to do this.” Daniel said, stopping abruptly but keeping upright, knowing David didn’t know how to stop at this speed on such a sleek surface. The wide-eyed expression of shock and betrayal that David showed as he turned his head back to look at the blonde was priceless, but it wasn’t as good as seeing the ginger attempt to stop on his own out of a panic. His fall was completely comedic as one moment he was upright with his arms grasping for an invisible railing and the next second his body fell front-facing to the floor. Some people glanced backwards but Daniel got out of his amused stare and rushed to help him up before anyone else did. The blonde tried his best to keep his composure until he was absolutely sure David wasn’t hurt.

“Are you okay?” He asked simply, trying to read David’s emotions.

David took a hold of the outstretched hand in front of him and got himself up off the ground replying, “Yeah, I’m fine.” 

“That’s good.” Daniel said, other hand over his mouth but fingers separated enough for David to see the clear smile he was badly attempting to hide.

“Got something you wanna share?”

“No, I’m fine.”

David grabbed the hand over Daniel’s mouth and the blonde burst into laughter. David rolled his eyes but started to giggle as well. The two of them stood there in the way, causing other people to look over. David was the first to notice, 

“Come on it’s not even that funny anymore, stop!” 

“I mean, it is a little bit.”

“Shut up, people are staring!” 

“Oh are they? I had no clue.” Daniel said, laced with sarcasm, glancing around. 

“I’m serious, Daniel. Maybe we should go sit down or something. I’m getting nervous...”

Daniel’s attention turned back to him, “It’s all in your head, darling.” 

Before David could respond with an excuse, his hand was taken and he was guided along with the crowd again, skating alongside his date while the lights shining on the floor seemed to move to the music. The more they went in circles, the more comfortable it got. David was getting confident with his control over the situation, especially with Daniel’s hand grasping his own. It went on for quite a while, a silence between them as the noise around them made up for it. David started to daydream about things he knew he shouldn’t have been thinking about, especially so early in their relationship. It was awfully soon to begin thinking of such intimacy, hell, his mind started to even wander to marriage. He’d have to ask himself the question eventually though, was Daniel marriage material or was this just a small experiment to get himself used to being vulnerable to someone else besides Jasper? 

He studied Daniel’s inviting atmosphere; a small smile with relaxed eyes that made him equally at peace. 

_“Definitely marriage material…”_ David said aloud, not even aware that he did until Daniel’s eyes went on him.

“Did you say something?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Daniel’s mind wasn’t too far from David’s, as he fixated on his date as well, except he was more in the moment. Keeping his focus on the music and David’s enjoyment was the priority, it was a distraction from the random bursts of intrusive thoughts he would have every so often. The music was good though, so were the people around them, it made him more conscious of his actions. Not like he would ever act on them, but it was still alleviating.

But then the music stopped.

  
  


They slowed down and so did many others. The lights dimmed and the music started back up again, slower this time. The energy in the room had changed completely to a softer, romantic aura and Daniel was going to make sure to use it to his advantage.

He took David’s hands into his own, “Do you know how to dance with roller skates?”

“Really? You’re asking _me_ that?”

“Fair point. Are you interested in learning?”

“Promise you won’t let me fall again?”

“Physically, no promise on romantically.”

“Okay-- Wait, wha--”

Daniel got next to him and snaked an arm around his back, resting a hand on his waist for guidance. 

“Follow my lead.”

“That’s it?!” 

Daniel started to move forward, David looking down to make sure his feet were matching Daniel’s.

David kept his stare down, “You’re seriously not going to give me any other advice this time?”

“My only advice now is to feel the music.” Daniel said as he had the _audacity_ to close his eyes.

David looked at him and started to panic, “Hey! Open your eyes! You’re going to bump into someone again!”

Daniel took an intake of air before opening them back up, sliding a hand away from David’s waist to take his hand instead, pulling him along and getting ahold of the other, quickly letting go of the first one, bringing the other up high to spin him around, but pulling him back forward before he could fall. A simple ballroom dance move that seemed a hundred times more difficult on wheels. 

“W-woah Daniel! Slow down!” David said as he basically bumped right into Daniel’s chest as he was pulled in.

Daniel whispered in his date’s ear, “I promised I wouldn’t let you fall, don’t you trust me?” 

“Yeah but I don’t trust myself…”

“You’re doing fine.” Daniel looked down at David with a lustful expression. He went in for a kiss, which David had yearned for the entire night, yet now that it finally came down to it, his nerves sparked up. He didn’t object however, and once Daniel’s lips were on his own he was thankful he didn’t. 

Daniel’s mouth slightly opened to slip his tongue past his lips to David’s, eager to taste him. David let him gain access, but right as he did, he put too much pressure on one of his skates, getting it to slide forward and make him lose his complete balance. In the split second he had to react, he gripped onto Daniel’s shirt to pull him down to the ground along with him. David’s head smacked against the ground causing a sharp, pathetic sound of pain to exert out of his mouth, quickly followed by a matched whiny groan. Daniel’s weight fell onto him but for the most part the blonde was silent, too surprised to react straight away. 

“Owww…” David whined again. 

Daniel pushed against the ground to get off of the weaker male, “Shit, are you okay?”

“It’s not as bad as when I fell on concrete at least…”

Daniel got himself upright and managed to help David up as well, “Break time?”

David spoke with sarcasm, “Oh no, I’m totally down for skating with this fresh concussion.”

“Do you need an ambulance?”

“Okay, it’s not _that_ bad.”

“You should sit down and I’ll get you a drink.” Daniel suggested, however it came out more as a strict command rather than a friendly proposal. David nodded his head slowly, the pain from the movement causing him to give a slight wince. They skated carefully to the exit and Daniel took his own skates off first, getting his shoes back on as David just took a seat on an open bench. Once the shoes were on he placed a hand on David’s shoulder saying ‘wait here’ before rushing to get a cup of water. 

David only thought about the pain for a minute until the realization of what just happened on the rink really hit him. He put his hand over his lips, suddenly flustered. 

_“That really happened.”_

“What really happened?” Daniel asked him, handing him the water.

“I said that out loud again?” David said, more in a mumble as he lowered his hand from his face to take the cup.

“Oh you meant our kiss? Or us falling? Which, to be fair, I wasn’t at fault for that.” The blonde chuckled, sitting down next to him.

“I beg to differ… I wasn’t expecting, well, _that.”_

“Was it too soon?” 

“No, well, a bit, maybe? I’m not sure.”

“Let me rephrase… Did you enjoy it?”

David started drinking the water to avoid the question, even though the answer was obvious. Daniel sat there with his amused smile, waiting for him to finish. When David finally pulled it away from his lips and exhaled his breath, he hummed. 

“Was I that bad?” Daniel asked jokingly.

“No! Of course not!” David finally said, slamming the cup down on the bench.

Daniel raised his eyebrow, waiting for David’s explanation.

David’s eyes averted to stare straight ahead at other people talking in the main lobby as he thought of what to say. It wasn’t that complicated, he liked Daniel, clearly. He enjoyed the kiss, and he was falling for him hard. _Literally._ But there was always the fear that came with admitting such things, even if the one you love likes you back, would they like you in the long run? Besides, they still didn’t _know_ each other. David was a hopeless romantic though, and Daniel really felt like _‘the one’._ Even if he wasn’t, David wanted to at least try. So was he going to take that risk of getting emotionally wrecked in the end?

_“Fuck yeah.”_

Daniel blinked, confused.

David glanced back over, “I mean... The kiss, I really enjoyed it.” He took another awkward sip of water. 

“Good, because I really like you, David.”

David choked on the drink, but not enough to make it a big deal.

Daniel continued, “I’m serious, and if this pace I’m setting is too fast for you, just let me know. I don’t want my eagerness to completely ruin it.”

David tossed the empty cup into the nearest trash can which was only a few feet away, so it made it in without much effort. 

He smiled, “Did you already forget how overeager I was yesterday?”

Daniel thought back about how he acted while they were at the diner, “I just assumed you were being apologetic.”

“At first, then I got a bit slutty.” David mumbled.

“Well I wouldn’t put it like _that.”_

David gave him a look that simply said, _‘really’?_

“Okay, a bit. But I didn’t exactly stop you from flirting.” Daniel replied.

_“And that’s how I met the love of my life.”_

“Oh?”

“That was a joke!.. Well, maybe. We’ll find out.”

“So, second date already confirmed?”

“Depends, are you asking me out?” 

“Yes.” Daniel said without a single moment of hesitation.

“Where to?”

“Wherever you want.”

“How about the beach?” David suggested. “Is that okay?”

“It’s fine with me. What day?”

David hummed, thinking about his schedule. “My heart says Monday but I know it’d be better to schedule for next weekend.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“You’d really be okay with that?”

“Yeah of course, I don’t have anything else planned.”

“Alright, tomorrow then. Noon?” David asked as he leaned down to remove his skates and put his shoes back on.

“Works for me.”

“We could go to Ocean Park!” David said with excitement.

“Didn’t they just close that permanently?”

“Oh yeah, the fire… Well that sucks.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the county fair this winter instead.”

David finished up tying his laces, “Is that a promise?”

“If you don’t change your mind then absolutely.”

“I won’t. So, beach tomorrow, fair sometime in winter?”

“Yep. Are you ready to leave?”

David stood up holding his skates and glanced around first, humming to himself in thought, “What time is it?”

Daniel checked his digital watch, “Five after ten.”

“That went by fast… I still have two hours though until I have to be back.”

“If you want to stay we can, or we can go somewhere else. Whatever you want, it’s up to you.”

“Are you sure you won’t be upset if I just go home for the night? My head is killing me.”

“Not at all. I’ll make sure to drive extra carefully.” Daniel said, beginning to walk along with him, one hand holding skates and the other on David’s back gently guiding the ginger to the exit. When they got in the car, this time Daniel tossed his skates in the back seat instead of putting them into the trunk. David kept his by his feet, looking out the window as they began to drive back to his house. This time instead of loud wind and blaring music, there was only the steady hum of the engine and air conditioner, along with a simple steady tap on the wheel made by Daniel. But just as the first ride of that night, there was no conversation between them, just a relaxed silence.

  
  


When they arrived at David’s house, they both stopped at the front porch to say their goodbyes. David had his hand on the doorknob but was facing the blonde. Daniel had his hands in his pockets, about to say something but David was a second too early.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow at like, twelve?” David asked.

“Yep. Just call if you need to cancel.”

“Doubt it’ll happen… Well, thank you for tonight.”

“No problem. Tell Jasper I said hi.”

“I will. Good night, Daniel.” David said, almost opening the door.

“Sleep well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Daniel said, taking his hands out of his pockets as he turned around and took only two steps forward before David let go of the doorknob to pull on Daniel’s arm. 

“David?” The blonde asked, concerned as he turned around.

David’s eyes were facing the ground but he grabbed Daniel’s collar to pull him in for a kiss. It was short-lived, shorter than their first at the rink, but he was pleasantly surprised. 

“That’s for being a good teacher, and mostly keeping your promise of not letting me fall.”

“Mostly?”

“It’s still your fault for both of us falling.” David joked. “If I have to go to the hospital for my head you’re getting the bill.”

“Fair enough, now go rest.” Daniel ordered with a smile, watching the ginger nod and head inside. He walked down the steps and stopped, turning for a moment, getting an awful thought. The fact that David was all alone in that house made him incredibly vulnerable, anything could happen to him, especially at this time of night. And it’d be so easy to get away with it. He watched the illuminated windows that glared in the dark like beacons inviting him in, accompanied by a welcoming silence only filled with a few straggled crickets. 

_‘It would be so easy.’_

Then he immediately turned his head away. And like an owner or parent telling their dog or child ‘no’, he said it aloud before forcing himself to walk back to his car.

  
  



	6. Save Some For The Swim Back

David wasn’t sure how he managed to sleep so long, but he remembered going back to bed less than an hour after Daniel brought him home. After a warm bath and some ‘personal time’ he was already asleep, waking up hours later around ten in the morning. There was already coffee in the pot when he entered the kitchen, so he knew his roommate was awake. ‘Was he home though?’ He thought. A quick glance out the kitchen window right above the sink gave him his answer. Jasper’s car was still in the driveway, a red Ford Pinto parked next to his own station wagon. David turned around to head upstairs to knock on Jasper’s bedroom door but Jasper was already heading down the steps when he entered the main hallway. 

“I thought you worked today?” David asked. 

“My boss is religious so I have Sundays off. Besides, I don’t get day shifts often.”

“Didn’t you get home at like, three?”

“That’s why I was getting another cup of coffee. How was your date?”

“It wasn’t a date.”

“Then why am I not convinced?” Jasper asked as he walked past him to refill an empty mug on the counter with less than lukewarm coffee.

David turned around to face him again, “Well, okay, maybe it was _sort of_ a date… Why are you up this early though? Do you have plans?”

“Not in particular. I wanted to make sure you had a nice time though, I had to make sure I didn’t need to kick some ass this morning.” Jasper said, taking a sip from the dark blue mug.

“No, it went really well! So well in fact, we’re headed to the beach this afternoon.”

Jasper had to stop himself from gagging on his drink, putting the cup down on the counter behind him, “That soon?”

“It’s just the beach. The worst that can happen is I’ll get sunburned. Or drown. Maybe I’ll need CPR… I should brush my teeth again just in case, huh?”

“Seriously?”

“I’m joking! Heck, if you’re so worried, why don’t you come along with us? You and Daniel can get to know each other better. Who knows, maybe you’ll become just as close to him as you are with me.”

“Ah yes, we’ll become the best childhood friends ever, all I’d need is a time machine.” Jasper said sarcastically, reaching back for the mug and muttering into the cup before drinking, _“And a poor judgement of character.”_

“Are you going to join us or not?”

Jasper let out a sigh, “You sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all. I’ll have plenty more dates in the future to spend alone with him.”

_‘Wonderful.’_ Jasper said in his mind, wanting to at least roll his eyes but they stayed still, focusing on the dark liquid. “Alright. What time are you going?”

“Twelve, I’m thinking of leaving around eleven thirty though to be early.”

“He’s not picking you up this time?”

“No, we didn’t really plan to do anything else besides the beach. Why? Do you want to take your car instead of mine?”

“It’s up to you, really. How long are we going to be out?”

“However long everyone wants to stay I guess. But it’s Sunday so I doubt we’ll be there all night.”

“Alright,” Jasper said, dumping the rest of the coffee down the sink drain and setting the mug back down on the counter, “I’ll go get ready and chill out for a bit before we leave. Just knock when you’re ready.” 

“Sounds good. If you decide to sleep though, I’m not going to force you awake.”

“I won’t.” Jasper said, leaving the kitchen to head back to his room.

  
  


It was around eleven when Daniel parked his car right next to the beach. He knew he was an hour early, but he was already sick of waiting around at home by himself. However he didn’t really think through what he was going to do being at the beach so early, still alone. There weren’t many cars or people yet, just a few people that seemed to be finishing up scavenging for shells before the afternoon crowd arrived. He had already turned off the car’s engine and the heat was already creeping up on him, however something about standing around in the parking lot or on the shore by himself felt quite humiliating. It was one thing to be alone in public occupying yourself with a book, but standing around waiting for a full hour in your bathing suit? Well, it wasn’t his ideal way to present himself to the public eye. 

He rested his forehead against the top of the steering wheel before speaking lowly, “I should have just waited at home.”

_‘Or at least brought something to read, dumbass.’_

Since keeping the car on was a waste of gas, he stepped out and sat on the hood, slipping his sunglasses from the top of his head to his face, leaning back to lie down for time to pass by. There weren’t many clouds to watch so his lids shut after a few minutes, instead he daydreamed with the white noise of waves and the occasional sound of a seagull that occurred in the background. Eventually the sounds of cars started to build up, one at first until it’d pop up more frequently, followed by doors slamming shut and people talking. However, the blonde was closer to falling asleep the more he lied there, despite the increase in distractions. 

Suddenly there was a loud banging right next to his head and he jerked awake, sitting up and facing his right to see a pleasant familiar presence. 

“Hey there!” David greeted. “How long have you been waiting for us?”

“Us?” Daniel asked, lifting his shades up.

“Oh, yeah, sorry, I invited Jasper along. I tried calling you beforehand to let you know but there was no answer.”

Jasper joined the picture, carrying a blue cooler in his left hand and a beige beach bag in his right, with a purple beach towel around his neck. David swaddled his green one like a newborn baby, close to his chest like he was protecting it from harm. 

“That’s alright.” Daniel said. “It’s good to see you again.” The bleach blonde looked up at Jasper who didn’t realize he was being spoken to until they made eye contact after a few awkward seconds of him looking into space.

“Oh, you too.” Jasper replied out of courtesy, nothing more.

Daniel wasn’t sure if David was aware of their mutual distaste for each other or if he was really just that eager, but the ginger didn’t hesitate to urge them to the sand almost immediately after their brief greetings. They walked to a slightly desolate spot only a few minutes from the parking lot and David messily shoved his towel that he once held with such care into the bag Jasper hadn’t even put down yet so he could run off into the water. They both watched him run in, throwing himself onto the waves and then coming up to the surface, turning himself around to give a toothy grin while his soaking wet hair fell over his forehead. David didn’t even have to say anything for both of them to know he wanted them to rush in as well.

Jasper looked to Daniel, “You go on ahead, tell him I’ll be there in a moment after I set everything up.”

“You sure you don’t want help?”

“I’m good, thanks.” He said, trying to come off more as resigned although it was clear he still carried extreme resent.

“Suit yourself.” Daniel replied, taking off his shirt before walking off towards the water.

Jasper scoffed lightly, then went straight to putting an old bed sheet down on the sand to act as a big towel for them to sit on later.

Trying to appeal to Jasper wasn’t Daniel’s priority, in fact, the only sole reason why he’d ever bother with him to begin with would be to appeal to David. It was plain obvious, but Daniel didn’t care as long as David stayed oblivious, or at least pretended to be oblivious about it. As long as they kept themselves at bay and David stayed busy doing whatever, then… Wait, what _was_ David doing?

He approached David in the water, and it was clear that the ginger was focused on something at his feet. His eyebrows were furrowed and his tongue was out as he slightly bit it with his top teeth. It was a ridiculous face that Daniel was about to comment on but was stopped by a loud ‘aha!’ as David leaned back slightly in the water as he brought one of his legs up to grab a sand dollar that he had snatched with his toes. David grabbed it with one hand and brought it up to his eyes, admiring his catch. 

He shoved it towards Daniel’s face enthusiastically, only to glance down and notice Daniel’s bare upper body and drop the sand dollar as he reeled his hand away to cover his face with both of his hands. 

“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked. “Are you okay?”

“How the hell are you so buff?!” David yelled without removing his hands.

“That’s your concern?”

“Go put your shirt back on!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah-- No, wait…” David put his hands down to stare for a moment. “No… Wait, yes!”

“Really?” Daniel asked, lifting an arm out of the water to casually flex. “You sure?”

“STOP!” David yelled again, jumping towards him to push his arm down.

Daniel laughed as David kept trying to push it down pathetically, but wasn’t a match against his strength. David soon gave up and Daniel finally stopped teasing him. Jasper met them in the water,

“See any fish yet?” He asked, looking around.

“Well I _did_ have a sand dollar till _someone_ made me lose it.” David crossed his arms.

“That close to the shore? Damn. Was it alive?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, well, what I said. Was it alive?” Jasper asked again.

“Yeah, it was.” Daniel answered his question.

David gave a horrified look, “WHAT DO YOU _MEAN_ IT WAS ALIVE?”

“Sand dollars are living things, did you not know that?”

“I thought it was a kind of shell… Or something…”

“Really owning up to that title of being a nature lover, huh?” Jasper teased.

“Well of course I love nature! Does the ocean really count though, it’s almost like another planet.”

“I knew you were a fake.”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” David rolled his eyes in a playful manner.

Unexpectedly to Daniel, Jasper then started to talk to him directly, first asking about where he was from. He could tell it was still out of fake politeness only to please David. There was no harm in playing along though, so he figured he would simply answer the trivia questions casually until the topic moved from him to something or someone else. Well, until it went on painfully long, and the realization had set in that he was wrong about it being fake kindness. Instead it became clear that it was more like an interrogation that you’d normally get from your partner’s strict parents at the beginning of a relationship. He would have preferred that instead of this though, because no matter how good enough Daniel really was for David, Jasper would never admit it because he felt the same way about the red haired male.

Jasper was ready to spit out another prodding question towards him but Daniel spoke first, 

“I feel like we’ve talked too much about me, and I already know quite a bit about David. So, you wouldn’t mind answering some of _my_ questions now, would you?”

“I don’t see why not. I don’t have anything to hide.”

_‘Are you implying that I’m hiding something?’_ He wanted to ask, but of course that’d lead to unnecessary tension. 

Instead, he went with a simple starter question, the same one that was used with him, “Where are you from?”

“Basically California since my family moved when I was two, but I was born in Oregon. David and I grew up together in the same neighborhood just outside Los Angeles.”

“Are you and David the same age then?”

“I’m only a year older.”

“Twenty five then?”

“Yeah, David mentioned you were older too?”

“Twenty six in a few months.”

David interrupted, “I don’t mean to be rude, especially since you guys are getting along, but could we do something while talking at least? We’ve been standing in the water for like half an hour now.”

“I think I’m actually gonna get out now.” Jasper said. 

“Aww, come on Jasper!” David whined.

“I’m just gonna go get a drink, I can join you guys again later.” 

David pouted but let him head back to shore. He turned to the blonde, “Do you know any good games?”

“Well there is one, but it’s not for the faint of heart.”

“Like what? Does it involve touching a fish or something?”

“Not particularly, no. It can happen but that’s not the goal.”

“Well I’m listening…”

Daniel looked out at the open ocean, “Basically, we swim out as far as we can until one of us backs down.” 

“What if something happens?” David asked quietly, looking out in the same direction.

“That’s why I said it wasn’t for the faint of heart.” Daniel looked back at David. “You know what? Let’s just play something else, maybe Jasper has some ideas.”

“No, let’s play it.” David said, faking the courage.

“You sure? There’s no lifeguard around.”

“I mean, you can be a substitute, right?” David gave a short awkward chuckle. 

“If you don’t want to do it, you don’t have to. It’s dangerous, and anything can happen.”

“You’ve done it before though haven’t you? And nothing happened? Who was it with?”

“It was a few months ago, did it with some guys in my current class. Nothing happened because everyone backed out after five minutes out to sea.”

“Oh…” 

“Let’s just go back, forget I mentioned it--”

David started swimming without a word, opposite direction of the beach. Daniel called out his name but David ignored him, continuing on. Daniel took a deep inhale and then followed suit. It was idiotic, a completely foolish decision that David took but all he could think about was trying to impress the blonde, even if he wasn’t going to win. It was too late to back down now as he was a minute into swimming out into the open waters. His heart paced, sure from the exercise but also from the fear of possibilities. Sharks, drowning, getting lost… Well, surely there were more but those were the top three he could think of, especially since it was hard to put in effort on thinking when trying to excel at swimming. Although the salt water kept getting in his eyes, he was already getting tired. It wasn’t the same as skating, letting the wheels do all the work underneath you as you simply lean into it. This took actual effort which only got more exhausting as the minutes passed by, especially with the current going against him.

Daniel wasn’t used to the salt water either, but he was much better off than David. He had plenty of practice in his home state, swimming in lakes just for fun. It was awfully surprising of David to accept the challenge, considering just how frightened he got over the sand dollar earlier. But he knew he’d back down soon, so there wasn’t much of a point in increasing his speed to catch up and surpass his opponent. Daniel would glance up occasionally to check on him, and David seemed to be slowing down. Eventually he came to a halt, it must have been at least fifteen minutes. Daniel caught up and then stopped only a couple feet away from him.

David was panting, he turned around to see Daniel but it took him another minute to actually say something.

“I think I’m done.” He said, breathily. “I started to panic when I…” He looked around them, “I realized I need to save energy for the way back.”

“I should have mentioned that beforehand, I’m sorry.” Daniel said.

David gave a smile, “You weren’t kidding when you said it wasn’t for the faint of heart.”

“No, I wasn’t. Are you good though?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine. Just need to take a break.”

“I’ll give you a tip, if the water is calm enough like it is now, you can lie on your back. It’s saltwater so you’ll be more buoyant.”

David attempted it, but got nervous and his limbs picked back up and he was already in a vertical position again. 

“You have to stay calm.” Daniel said, moving towards him a bit more. “That’s the key to anything really, keeping your head on straight.”

“Easier said than done.”

“Come on, try it again, I won’t let you drown.” 

David inhaled and tried once more, finally managing to remain still as he floated on his back. His ears were under the water though so when Daniel said something he didn’t quite hear it.

“This isn’t so bad.” David said, closing his eyes. “Just let me know if any shark fins appear.”

“Will do.” Daniel said, keeping himself upright. He turned around to try and calculate how far away from the shore they were. About four hundred yards if he were to guess right off the bat. He wondered how worried Jasper must have been, how pissed off he’d be at him for convincing David to do something this reckless. It was all in good fun though, David was bored, frankly, so was he. And if David did end up getting too tired for the way back, he had the capacity to drag him to shore. 

Daniel looked back at the male who floated peacefully in the water with his eyes closed, his chest rising and falling at a slower pace than it was a few moments prior. His panic had eased, his guard was down.

_‘Drown him.’_

_It would be so easy._ Holding him under the waves would be as effortless as drowning a newborn, given how he displayed how weak he was earlier. Not just that either, now David was isolated. A few yards longer than a football field away from anyone else, it’d be difficult for him to scream for help. No one would arrive fast enough by the time his body became still. He could say it was an accident.

David opened his eyes and got upright again, “You good? You seem a bit out of it.”

The blonde’s eyes widened a bit, “Oh uh, yeah, it’s nothing. Just thinking.”

David got closer, “About what?”

“About how lucky I am to have met you.” Daniel lied, a smile plastered on his face innocently.

“Awh, that’s so sweet.”

“Yeah, we should probably head back now though, the longer we’re out here the more likely your friend is going to kill me, I'm pretty sure. You ready?”

“I wouldn’t let that happen. But I’m ready, I’ll race you there!” David exclaimed, putting his already-sore muscles back to work. 

It took quite a bit of time to get back, especially due to the fatigue further setting in. When they reached the shore they had to walk along the beach for a bit because the current dragged them along. When they came back to their spot Jasper ran up to them, worried.

“Where the hell were you guys?!” Jasper asked, putting his hands on David’s upper arms.

“We were just swimming.” David said.

“In the Bermuda Triangle? I couldn’t even see you out there!”

“We went a bit far, and then the waves carried us along. How long were we gone?”

“Over a half hour. I almost called the cops.”

Daniel decided to crack a joke, “Good thing you didn’t, I don’t think they’d be happy to see me again so soon.”

“Yeah…” Jasper said, quickly moving to another topic. “Do you guys want a drink now?”

It wasn’t really a question he expected them to say no to, so he already reached in the cooler and asked them what they wanted. Despite the many options of sodas and beer, both of them went with water bottles. David chugged his down, exhaling loudly after half of it was gone. Daniel looked down at his with a slight hum.

“What’s wrong?” David asked him.

“There’s something in it. Here, look.” He moved it towards David and waited for him to lean closer to it, before squeezing the bottle to get cold water all over his face. David let out a surprised scream and then whined.

“That’s freezing! You asshole!” David yelled, splashing the rest of his own water bottle at the blonde who amusingly laughed and tried to dodge, but still managed to get cold water on himself as well.

They both laughed and Daniel finally drank the rest of what was in the bottle. Jasper sat back down on the sheet and David grabbed a towel from the bag and wrapped it around himself before sitting down next to him. Jasper had a grape soda in hand, looking out at the waves. Daniel grabbed his sunglasses that were on top of his shirt that he had set down in the sand, slicking his wet hair back before putting them on. He stayed standing though,

“What’s the plan?” He asked.

“I don’t mind staying longer,” David said. “But let’s do something easy-going. Like burying Jasper in the sand.”

“Hey! I’m not getting sand in places they don’t belong for the sake of curing your boredom!” Jasper said, gesturing with the soda still in hand. 

“Pretty please?” David said, setting his head on the dirty blonde’s shoulder, looking up at him.

Before he could respond, Daniel did instead, “How about we find shells?”

David lifted his head, “Sure! I brought a shopping bag just in case.”

He got up, dropping the towel and getting a plastic bag out of their main beach bag, running up to Daniel who tossed the water bottle he had been carrying near the towel. 

“You joining?” David asked, looking back at his friend.

Jasper took a moment of thought but hopped up, “As long as you don’t mind me ruining your ‘date’.”

“Not at all.” Daniel said, not as warmly as he intended.

Jasper approached them and they started to walk towards the water where the shells were plentiful. Jasper ended up carrying the bag because David was all over the place while looking, chasing after any shell that stood out as the waves would carry them up and then take them back into the water within seconds. Both Daniel and Jasper had to run by David any time they picked up a shell, just to make sure it was worthy of going home with them. Daniel also collected a few shark teeth on the side.

They spent a surprisingly long amount of time scouring the shore, but most of it was spent talking, walking, and fooling around. David ran ahead eventually since the other two were too slow, but while running he didn’t pay attention to where he was stepping.

Daniel and Jasper’s heads shot upwards in sync when they heard the scream, immediately bolting forward to where David was. They slowed down when he got into clearer focus and they saw the dead pile of blue by his foot as he was on the ground whining, trying to hold back tears.

“It stung me!” David exclaimed. “Jasper get the car!”

“David, you’re not going to die.” Jasper said.

“But it hurts! I can’t stand up! Oh god, isn’t it poisonous too? Am I going to die?!” He asked despite Jasper already responding.

Daniel laughed and David looked horrified.

“Why are you laughing?! I might have to get my foot amputated!”

“You’re not going to die.” Daniel repeated, amused.

“Oh! Wait! No! I don’t want you to do that!”

“Do what?”

“Piss on me!”

Jasper squinted, “What?”

“To drain the poison he has to pee on it…” David looked away, thinking for a moment, “...Okay you can do it but Jasper can’t look.”

Daniel laughed even harder and David whined more. 

“David, that’s not even a jellyfish. It’s a Man O’ War. Which technically is a group of small organisms bound together. It’s rarely ever deadly. Besides, what you said is a myth anyways, you don’t have to piss on it.”

“Oh.”

“Is it severe at all?” Jasper asked Daniel.

“Nah, not really. Especially David’s case. It looks pretty mild.”

Jasper nodded, then broke out into a smile that turned into a laugh, and Daniel joined him.

“You guys are assholes!” David complained. “I’m not inviting either of you next time…”

“Come here, David. I’ll carry you back.” Daniel got down to his level with his arms out.

“No, I’m mad at you!”

“I’m sorry for laughing. Come here.” He repeated.

“I can walk.”

“It’ll hurt.”

David attempted getting up but made another whine, “Okay fine, but no more laughing. Especially you, Jasper! Shut up already!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be laughing, you’re right…” He looked at Daniel again and both of them started cracking up on cue.

Daniel stopped to pick David up and carry him back to their spot. David kept his arms wrapped around his neck despite staying quiet out of spite. By sunset they were back by the sheet and having more drinks, but only Jasper picked up a beer since David offered to drive despite the sting.

They watched the sunset until David was done with his drink and suggested it was time to leave. Instead of drinking in the car, Jasper chugged his and got up to start putting everything away. 

“I think I’ll put the shells in that clear vase on top of the cabinets.” David mentioned to Jasper. “If there’s more I can put them in the garden, or paint them.”

“Sounds good.” Jasper said simply, folding the towels and putting them into the main bag. 

David stood up, lifting his heel on his injured foot to limp as he walked, then he looked over to Daniel who still had his eyes on the sunset, “How about we hang out next weekend?”

Daniel didn’t look over, too spaced out in his mind. He was snapped back to reality once David placed a hand on his shoulder, “Yeah?”

“I was asking about next weekend, are you free?”

“Yeah, of course. If you want to hang out sooner we can.”

David hummed, “Hmm… I have classes, so I’ll probably be too tired in the evenings. I’ll call you though when I can.” 

“Okay.” Daniel smiled softly. “Go easy on yourself, especially with your injury.”

David gave him a kiss, “I will. I’ll see you later this week.” 

“See you… And Jasper,” Daniel said to the other male who had his hands full already. “It was nice seeing you again.”

“Yeah man. You too.” Jasper nodded to him and then asked if David was ready to leave.

David did a quick look around the sand to make sure they weren’t missing anything. He looked back to the blonde once again to say goodbye and then followed Jasper who was already making his way back to the parking lot.

Daniel spent more time watching the sun fall closer to the water, still spaced out in a hazy dissociation for a few minutes till the light started to dim. Then he turned his back on the ocean and headed back to his car, ready to go back home and wait for the next phone call to look forward to. 

  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Weeknight Restlessness

It was a Thursday night when Daniel felt the peak of his fretfulness push him to the limit. He even tried calling David although it was in the middle of the night, but after a minute of ringing he gave up. There wasn’t anything around the house that felt stimulating enough; Television?  _ Irritating.  _ Books?  _ Tedious.  _ Music?  _ Repetitive.  _

He could always leave the house and get wasted at some local bar, but doing it alone on a weeknight just didn’t carry the same appeal it would if he just waited till the next day when he could go with David, or even a classmate if he was that desperate. There were never many patrons out on a night like this, except the alcoholics who no one in their right mind would voluntarily strike up a benevolent conversation with. He was a law school student, he didn’t need to ruin his reputation by befriending addicts for the sake of avoiding weeknight loneliness. 

He could always study, it’d still be dull but at least he’d be spending his waking hours doing something productive. Although there wasn’t much to really brush up on, unless he skipped ahead. 

_ ‘Maybe I’ll bore myself to sleep.’  _ He thought as he went downstairs to grab one of his textbooks. He turned on one of the living room lamps and grabbed a book on civil procedures, going to the most recent chapter he had already read and sat on the black leather couch, propping his legs on the glass coffee table in front of him. At first he took his time reading but soon started skimming through instead. He kept going until he reached the point where the text became unfamiliar to him, so he was actually learning new information. He turned to the next page where there was a handwritten note made by a previous holder of the book, since after all it wasn’t technically his, just a borrowed copy from the school. 

Sloppily written in blue ballpoint pen ink was an address and small description regarding where it was. The name of the town was familiar, he could have sworn he had driven through it before. He had a map in the glove compartment of his car, if he really wanted to he could go out and check how far it was… He closed the book.

“I’m going to bed.” He said out loud as if he was talking to someone else in the room. 

Lazily tossing the textbook to the other side of the couch instead of putting it back, he stood up to go back upstairs. He went through the steps of getting ready for bed and then got under the covers, closing his eyelids so he could ignore the ennui that came with living alone.

  
  


An hour later around one in the morning, his eyes were wide open, staring at the ceiling. Ever since he lied down he struggled to sleep, energetic thoughts plagued with violence that couldn’t be brushed off no matter what he tried to replace them with. He tried to think of his budding romance with David, how badly he yearned to feel him and simply be around him. Yet it was hard to only think of that, as each time David’s smile popped up in his mind it was instantly clouded with his deeper sexual urges towards him. And of course, when the lustful thoughts came so did the sadistic ones. But the most frustrating thing about it was the lack of any release. 

He tried to rub one off, thinking of the same thing he had been thinking of for days. The one person he saw himself spending the rest of his life with. For God’s sake, maybe he should just ask David that upcoming weekend if they could do it already. Maybe he’d finally be able to chill out. What if that steered him away though? Well, to be fair, David seemed to want it just as badly. It was clear from the body language, the words, the looks that David would give him. David wanted him, as badly as he reciprocated the desire. He wondered how many times the ginger had pleasured himself since they met, how often he thought of them doing it. 

He wondered if David was extremely vocal, or only gave quiet whimpers when doing it. He was curious to know what exactly David liked, and how he sounded when climaxing. Surely it would be fairly easy to get him loud enough for his roommate to hear. It was quite a dick move to look forward to especially considering Jasper hadn’t even done anything that extreme yet, but it was a dominance thing. Besides a wedding ring, it was the ultimate way of marking what was his, by asserting himself in a shameless way, without being too direct but at the same time, totally shoving it in his face. It didn’t matter if it pissed Jasper off if it meant it got his point across that David was off limits now. But if he were to be honest, he’d enjoy the jealous scowls even more, and thinking about it only fueled his fantasies.

You’d expect that to be enough for him to be satisfied, but the moment of climax barely affected him. Pure bliss for a few seconds and then it was gone, not even a few moments afterwards of relief, nor exhaustion to let him hold off for another night. Instead it was short-lived and the same frustration instantly returned. Eyes back on the ceiling, the sudden decision was made. He’d clean up and go find out where that address was.   
  


It didn’t take too long to get dressed in casual wear and make his way downstairs to put a pair of black work boots on. He wasn’t sure what mess he’d get into so it was best to wear something sturdy and inexpensive. He grabbed the textbook and headed out. As he locked the front door and went out to his car, he couldn’t help but really ask himself, was he really doing this? If he got mugged or killed then he really had no one to blame but himself. It was stupid as shit but when he got the map out and held it flat against the steering wheel, saw that the location was only two hours away, he instantly knew he was going to go through with it. 

He placed the map back on the passenger seat and took a deep sigh before turning on the engine, ready to drive an hour to an unknown destination on an empty set of roads. 

  
  
  



	8. Road Kill

Most of the drive was on a two lane road that was mostly isolated from any buildings, including any gas stations. Luckily he always had a spare fuel tank in the trunk just in case something were to happen, but he just refilled the car yesterday so he was sure it’d be fine. Now that he thought about it though, he really should have brought a better weapon besides the pocket knife in the glove compartment. At least he had a basic understanding of hand-to-hand combat. There weren’t many situations where he had to physically fight someone but it had happened a few times in the past, high school mainly, and he was never the one to start it. For some reason he wasn’t too concerned about that however, as there was no gut instinct telling him to turn the car around. At this point the only thing that’d make him turn around would be the fact the radio wasn’t coming through clearly which would make the rest of the trip an absolute bore.

Five minutes later of static-filled noise he was close to shutting it off. Better to have pure silence, he thought. Although if he remembered correctly, there were supposed to be cassette tapes in the same spot as everything else: the glove compartment. There was no one on the road besides him, so he went ahead and reached over to open it, digging through with one hand while his left was back on the wheel. They were in there somewhere, he was pretty damn sure, probably shoved all the way in the back. His eyes were still up on the road, and again, there was no one even driving besides him, and he had slowed down to about forty five miles per hour when the speed limit was fifty. It should have been fine, at least maybe it would have been if he didn’t look away for five split seconds.

It was all it took for it to happen. The instant impact of a large object hitting the front bumper at that speed caused it to propel towards the windshield, smashing against the glass and rolling over the hood in the span of seconds. The force caused Daniel to lurch forward and smack his head against the steering wheel, his foot instinctively pressed on the brake pedal and the car wheels skidded while emitting a loud squeal before the car came to a complete halt. 

Blood pounded in his head making it throb in pain, the racing heart beat in his ears almost drowning out the sound of his own labored breathing. He slowly leaned back, the seat belt pressing against his chest tightly. In that moment his mind felt truly and utterly devoid of thoughts due to shock, only the physical sensations of vertigo and a general stinging pain was present. The radio static made a sharp sound, snapping him back into reality as  _ ‘Dizzy’ _ by Tommy Roe ironically began to play clearly for the first time since he got on that damn road. 

The dark red on the steering wheel was the first visual thing he noticed. He put his hand to his head to feel the warm blood trickling down from his hairline past the center of his forehead, but he didn’t have to look down at his hand to know. Couldn’t have been too serious, he was still conscious after all. His eyes focused on the broken glass, there was blood on it as well. His brows furrowed. Did he hit a deer? He didn’t even catch a glimpse of it. 

He unclipped the seat belt that held a death grip across his torso and managed to get out of the car, almost losing his balance. He shut the door and looked at his faint reflection in the side window, pushing his hair up and leaning closer to get a better look at the wound. Some minor skin breakage, similar to a bad scrape. The blood was smeared across his forehead but the bleeding seemed to be slowing down as he put a fingertip directly onto the surface to feel it starting to clot. 

He moved his hand away and then immediately went to check on the damage of the car. He stood in front of it with his hands on his hips, looking at the broken glass from the outside, then his eyes went lower to the slight dents in the hood, and barely noticeable marks on the bumper. The fractured windshield was the worst part, he wasn’t sure how he was going to drive another hour in the dark without being able to see out the glass. He’d probably have to break it completely. 

He let out a sigh and then he remembered the blood that  _ wasn’t _ his. The damage didn’t seem that bad for a deer, he wondered if it was a young one. He let his arms fall back to his sides and walked behind the car, looking for the body. In the dark there was a figure lying lifeless on the street, but it didn’t look like an animal. 

“Ah, shit…” He muttered as he got closer, realizing that it was a person. 

Even as he stood in front of it, it was hard to see under the faded red light of his car. There was no way that they could have survived getting hit at that speed, but still, he had to check. 

“Can you hear me?” He asked, slightly kicking the body.  _ ‘Yeah, seems pretty dead to me.’  _ He thought before glancing around. He’d have to report the accident and just give the cops a guess on where the body was, considering there weren’t any major landmarks in the area. Or he could do a hit and run… No, he’d get caught with the damage done to his car. Maybe he should check the body for identification, or take the body with him to the nearest hospital. 

He knelt down to start patting the body. The pedestrian seemed to be a young male with dark hair and light skin. He couldn’t make out any distinct features, or even find a wallet with the lighting. Standing up again, he grabbed both legs and started dragging the body towards the front of his car where he could see clearly. It wasn’t that heavy and didn’t take too long to get it lying in front of the headlights. The guy seemed younger than he thought, probably a runaway. But what kind of hitchhiker would be walking in the middle of the fucking road? He’d think it’d be common sense to be over on the side, and to move out of the goddamn way if you saw bright lights heading in your direction. Maybe the kid was intoxicated, or trying to get his attention and was too idiotic to notice the distance and speed of his car. Or both. He really had no way of knowing since he himself wasn’t paying attention. 

_ ‘Dumbass.’ _

With one knee back on the gravel, he was down again to find a wallet. It ended up being in an inside jacket pocket, he pulled it out and there wasn’t much. Just a state ID and a few dollars. According to the age, he must have been right. Probably got kicked out or ran away from home, and no drivers license so that’d explain the hitchhiking. He let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. He seriously just killed a nineteen year old. Only seven years younger than him but still… If he were to get in trouble for this, it wouldn’t be pretty. 

He took the money and put it in his own wallet, but put the ID back where it was originally. Tossing the wallet to the body and then walking off the road, he looked around for a rock. He found one the perfect size that fit in his palm and had a few jagged edges. Gripping it tightly he went over to his windshield to start striking the cracked glass. He did it until most of it was gone, tossing the rock aside afterwards and started wiping the shards off the seat and above the dashboard. He decided he’d report the accident in the next town over but as he sat back down, his mind began to race.

_ It was already dead.  _ He had an actual corpse at his own disposal, something your average American wouldn’t see in their lifetime. At least not like this. Funerals were one thing but having a random body out in the middle of nowhere? He could practically do whatever he wanted with it. Anything. 

He smirked to himself and rested his elbow against the door, shaking his head to himself, “This is insane.”

Yet he was convinced he was sane, even as he finally made up his mind and exited the car again, slamming the door and walking with confident steps towards the carcass. He could hear the faint stereo still playing from the car but wasn’t bothered enough by it to go turn it off. There was a slight breeze and the temperature was around a perfect sixty degrees Fahrenheit, meaning he could take his time if he wanted to. He’d definitely consider it. 

Stepping closer to the body gave him a shiver down his spine, a rush of excitement. He got down and rested himself on the thighs, moving the wallet from its chest to the ground before undoing the jean button and zipper, sliding the clothes down under the waist. He touched himself through his own pants, feeling the firm outline of his hard-on that was throbbing underneath the tight fabric. Rubbing circles against it, keeping the groans at bay, for now. He took it out and the cool air seemed to help it perk up even more, twitching before he took a hold of it. His other hand was brought up to his mouth so he could spit into it and lubricate the erection. There was no hesitation in shoving it inside the thing beneath him, but it didn’t go as smoothly as he planned. Still too dry.

Taking it out he gave an irritated guttural growl and gathered up more saliva in his mouth, spitting directly onto his cock. It was enough to drip off onto the body’s exposed skin, but it wasn’t enough to fully cover his shaft. He was about to spit directly into his palm again but his eyes went towards a new idea. He moved up towards the head of the body and slid his dick against the lips, pulling the jaw down with his thumb so he could stick himself inside. It filled up the empty cavern fast so he was forced to push down the throat. This time he didn’t hold back the groan that came from his own mouth. It was still warm and wet, more than he expected. He guessed it made sense, considering the short amount of time it had been since the crash.

He stuck the full thing inside and he felt a rapid contraction of the throat muscles before a pain shot at the base of his cock as teeth bit down into his skin. Instinct took over and he quickly shoved his palm against the body’s forehead to smack the skull back against the ground to get it to let go as he fell back on his ass. His own throat burned from the pure fear he had as he sat there watching what he assumed to be a dead pedestrian starting to sputter and cough before going into a panic. The man in front of him choked and began to let out a startled scream mixed with agony and horror. 

Daniel quickly got himself fixed up before standing up, ready to make a break for the car if needed. The man tried to get up but let out another scream when he attempted to move his legs. Daniel hadn’t even noticed they were broken before despite it being quite obvious given what had happened. Their glances met and the screaming stopped, just for a moment as the man’s dark eyes fearfully stared into Daniel’s bright ones that almost looked radiant under the intensity of the car lights in front of him. 

It was such a surreal moment where everything was so still, besides the apparent deep fall and rise of the man’s chest as he lied involuntarily petrified. He was at the mercy of Daniel, a young man that didn’t fit the stereotypes of a cruel or grotesque individual, but considering the choice of wake-up call that left his throat sore, the broken bones and throbbing concussion didn’t seem like an accident. Was this the time to start begging for his life? Was it even worth it? Could he even get a sound out? He slightly opened his mouth but all he did was cough harshly again, clenching his eyes for a few seconds and opening them up to see a smile above him. 

Not a sinister toothy grin, but a pitiful smile that only acknowledged his suffering rather than feel any sort of sympathy towards him. Even the pity carried a fake substance to it, like it was out of social habit. It was more fear-inducing than a sadistic grin, the unknown factoring into what was to ensue. There was no way to tell if he was about to be driven to a hospital or be finished off and dumped on the side of the road for scavengers. 

Daniel finally moved, causing him to flinch. The blonde surprisingly didn’t hurt him, or even touch him, rather stepped directly over him to walk past. A sense of relief rushed through his being that caused his muscles to loosen, his upper body weight seeming to sink, an almost meditative state in comparison to the extreme alarm seconds prior. Air surged through his lungs as he finally managed to take in a slow, deep breath without the disruption of coughs, although the ache and slight itch was still present. His heart rate already began to decline. 

Daniel was swinging back and forth between two options: social habit or primal instinct? He stood next to his car with one hand resting on the hood, slightly brushing his fingertips against the uneven surface. A bit surprised that there were no words coming from his casualty, he thought, given the fact that the screams proved functioning vocality. He’d like to hear that again, he decided. His eyes glazed over the road and focused on a serrated rock that poked out in the darkness. He went over to it and heard the faint movement of the man awkwardly pulling his pants up then sitting up out of curiosity, similar to that of a dog unsure of whether or not its owner was about to reward him with a raw bone or punished with a cold spray bottle. 

The blonde picked it off the ground and tossed it between his hands like a heavy baseball, spinning on his heels to look back with a more gleaming smile, one that showed through his eyes as he walked back in front of the car and his first victim. The shadow of his form casted over the man’s body, the headlight beams shining past him like crepuscular rays through clouds during a sunset. 

The younger man’s heart picked up again as he realized what was about to unfold, at last the words came out but tumbled over each other like building blocks forming incoherent pleads. The blonde finally showed his teeth with a vicious grin, the one that was to be expected in such a situation. Although the uncertainty was unveiled, the apprehension didn’t fade, the acceptance of death hadn’t yet fathomed, and instead the instinct for survival kicked in.

It was absolutely  _ pathetic  _ to Daniel as he watched this young male strive for life, despite being completely incapacitated. He watched the brunette flip himself over and begin to crawl on his stomach, his own legs dragging behind like a ball and chain, small sounds emitting from him as he used up his upper body strength. Daniel let him scrabble on a few feet, till he realized there was no logic in attempting the impossible. The only point it gave was sick satisfaction on his predator’s end, which was much appreciated by Daniel nonetheless. 

What took the man great effort, took Daniel none at all to achieve. Just a few strides forward was all he had to do to reach him, then he pressed his boot against his back, pushing his weight down to the point of discomfort, almost like stepping on a crisp leaf during fall, or a cockroach that he happened to stumble upon inside a house where it didn’t belong. Except there was no distinct crunch, not even a scream; yet. He’d make sure to get some sort of noise out.

He released his weight, using the same foot to roll the body to look him in the eye. The guy put his hands up like he was being drug-busted by a cop, a sign of defeat that matched his doleful eyes. It reminded him of David, round eyes with a hint of innocence to them, ones that he wanted to corrupt. Surprisingly though, despite being supposedly five years younger than the ginger he knew, he looked older than David, only slightly. There were scars on his angular face along with a few scattered moles here and there, and a darkness underneath his eyes that made him look like he hadn’t slept in days, which may have been accurate.

“Don’t kill me.” He said, voice hoarse and barely above a whisper. His voice was quite on the deep end, further giving him an older aura than expected. “Please.”

Daniel expected a long explanation, a heartfelt plea to convince him to change his mind on the actions he was about to carry out. He got down on top of the man’s waist, causing a wince, before setting the rock down to the side. Another flinch as the blonde moved his hand towards the face of his victim, caressing his cheek as if they were lovers, trailing both of his hands lower to his neck. Both thumbs pressed down to compress the airway. Hands immediately reached up to try and stop the pressure but Daniel kept his grip, tightening it till his fingernails pierced the skin. He held it there until the struggle started to diminish, then let go to witness the captive’s instinctive will to live as he gasped and heaved.

While distracted, Daniel grabbed the stone again, shoving his free hand against the male’s chin to shove his head back. With one of the jagged edges pointed downwards, he forced it down against the same spot he previously abused with his bare hands. This time a scream came out that died down into a mix of guttural sounds as fast as it occurred. He kept pressing down as blood pooled up due to the large puncture. He dug into the wound before reeling back again for more force, bringing it back down and down again, as hard as if he was smashing against something made of cement. It took the same amount as another radio bubblegum pop song to finish before the spasm of muscles stopped pulsing on their own and the wet gurgling sounds died down. He kept going for a few more adrenaline induced strikes before slowing down to a halt. 

Still eyes stared upwards at the clear sky, mouth slightly agape. He emptied his hand and rested it against the lacerated pulp of flesh and blood. Besides the gushing of red that streamed out of the mess, there was no movement, no sign of life. He was disappointed in how swift it seemed. He pressed down into the mesh and dug his fingers deeper, pleased by the warmth of the blood as if he were washing his hands after a couple minutes outside during winter. He took his other hand and pulled the flesh apart so he could stick his other down into the upper esophagus, fingering it as if he were pleasuring a sexual partner. His arousal spiked up again, and this time there wouldn’t be any distractions to stop him.

He took his semi-hard dick back out and lubricated it with the blood on his hand, occasionally slipping it back into the mess for more to lessen the friction as he stroked himself off rapidly. He wanted to take advantage of this, fuck, he  _ needed  _ to. He scooted forward so his ass rested against its chest and his legs spread, knees touching the pavement. He pressed his erection into the mesh and forced it inside as he held the back of the neck and head to support in an awkward position. His cock went up into the throat as he started humping the slick hole. Once he started it was hard to stop or even slow down as he went animalistic into it like a dog in heat, shoving the head down roughly against the road. Sweat beaded against his forehead despite the cool air, his breath picked up as he panted with his mouth hung open, making his own throat dry. He was close to cumming but pulled out before his body involuntarily climaxed. The residue against his shaft caused the cold air to feel cooler than before as he kept it out, so he instinctively shoved it back in, hand back on its forehead to keep it still from his rough thrusts. He looked down into its open lifeless eyes, catching a glimpse of the tip of his cock in the back of its throat. That was enough to push himself over the edge as he came, repetitively cursing as he rapidly rammed his tip against the skin as cum spilled out and coated the inside. 

He let go with a groan, slipped out and leaned back. The exhaustion finally hit him, yet he was out in the middle of nowhere with evidence he now had to dispose of. He decided to let himself come down for a minute, a break to let his mind sit blankly before making his next move. Once his heart rate had slowed and breath had deepened, he got up to begin fixing himself up and started circulating ideas.

First he needed to clean himself off, or find a way to cover the dark red mess on his light colored shirt. He didn’t have any spare clothes in the car, he knew that without having to check. His head moved around as he scanned his surroundings, as if it would help. Then he glanced back to the body. The jacket that was worn was dark enough that the blood didn’t seem to show. He went over and removed it, wearing it himself and zipping it up. Perfect fit. 

Now the body…

_ ‘Ah, that’s right.’ _

There was a spare gas tank in the trunk. He could simply burn the body on the side of the road and--

He didn’t own a lighter. 

_ ‘Fuck’. _

A frustrated sigh left his lips. It was fine though, he had time to figure this out. He could always take the body with him.  _ ‘No.’  _ He immediately turned down the thought, knowing it was a likely possibility he’d get pulled over for the broken windshield. Surely there’d be a gas station ahead, he could buy a lighter and come back. Burn the corpse. He just needed a marker since leaving the body out in the middle of the road was not the subtly he was going for, the exact fucking opposite actually.

“Problem is…” He said aloud agitatedly, “There’s nothing fucking out here.”

He could leave the stone out in the middle of the road, or another article of clothing from the body, like a shoe. Too small of a detail, especially when his eyes were strained and his mind felt as if it were going in and out of focus as well, like ocean tides. One moment an idea would roll in and then another moment later he zoned out, basically blank. He looked back to the cadaver and groaned, rolling his eyes. 

“Fine.” He said, as if he were talking to his pet dog that begged to go on a car ride. 

He grabbed a hold of the ankles and pulled on the loose legs that were only held by the skin and muscles, dragging the body along as he shuffled backwards closer to the car, conveniently the trunk was in the front of the car instead of the back. He let go to open the trunk and lifted the corpse, ungraciously dropping the upper half and scooting it sideways, shoving the long legs in as if it was cheap luggage. To him it might as well have been, the head lulled in an anomalous fashion, along with its broken legs that bent and twisted unnaturally. It was like a broken toy that he no longer wanted to play with, and like a child he would hide his accident to avoid the consequences, and behind the backs of everyone around him he’d go on to play with something new, until that one broke too.

He adjusted the body as much as he could to make sure it would properly fit in the small space before he slammed the trunk and got back in the car. He figured he might as well continue to the address since he got this far despite the fatigue. If he happened to find an open convenience store at this time, he’d stop for a caffeinated drink. He forgot his watch so he couldn’t even check the time, but he assumed it was somewhere around two thirty now. 

This better have been worth it, he thought.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	9. Quick Fix

The drive was continuous for another hour till he reached civilization, if you’d even call it that. It was a short stretch of road with small businesses on each side. Pawn shops, a fast food joint, and a 7-Eleven from the looks of it. Besides the 7-Eleven, every building had darkened windows and no lit up signs signifying they were open. He pulled in and parked, quickly checking to make sure he was decent enough to waltz in there. There wasn’t much he could do about the minor gash in his head and dried blood on his hands, but he’d explain he just hit a deer like he originally thought himself. 

He didn’t even bother locking the car door as he got out and stepped into the building, white fluorescent lights blinding him as the bell above the door rang. He squinted until his eyes adjusted, glancing towards the man behind the counter who was blinking himself awake as he leaned against the wall on top of a tall bar stool. Daniel moved past the aisles and immediately went for the instant coffee machines to brew a cup, not bothering to add any sugar packets or cream, instead he snapped the lid on and went up to the yellow counter to pay. The man stood up, stretching as Daniel snatched a lighter from the stand and placed it next to the cup before getting his wallet out to pay. 

The man noticed the dried blood all over Daniel’s hands and looked up to see the wound on his forehead, eyes blinking fast as if he was trying to shake himself awake some more to make sure he wasn’t imagining it. 

“You look rough, you get in a fight or something?” The cashier said looking away to type on the register keys.

“Yeah, you should see the other guy.” Daniel replied, going along with the assumption instead of his original excuse. He stood there, holding a couple bucks waiting for the price to be said aloud.

“No cigarettes?” The man said before saying the price.

Daniel didn’t smoke since to him it was a waste of money, but he wanted to keep a low-profile and avoid extra questions. 

“Ah, almost forgot.” He played it off casually, thinking of the first brand that came to mind, “Get me a Marlboro.” 

“ID?”

“Seriously?”

“I’m legally obligated to ask.”

Daniel irritably yet instinctively took his drivers license out and handed it over. The man took it and furrowed his eyebrows.

“What is it?” Daniel asked.

The man looked back at him with the same quizzical expression with a hint of fear, “This isn’t you.”

Daniel’s eyes widened to match his. 

_ ‘Shit.’ _

He broke a smile and let out a laugh, immediately coming up with an excuse as he reached for his actual ID, “That’s my roommate’s. I must have taken it off the table before leaving, assuming it was mine.” He checked the second card he pulled from his wallet to make sure it was his own license, chuckling a second time, “When in fact,” He handed it over, “It was already in my wallet.”

The cashier took it with his second hand and checked it, “Ah, okay.” He still sounded as if he wasn’t in full belief but Daniel kept up the act.

“The things you do when you’re in a rush.” Daniel said, reaching to take both of the cards.

The man looked back and couldn’t help but match him with a half smile. “Yeah,” He said as he handed them over, “It happens.” 

“A little too often for me unfortunately. It was bound to happen.” Daniel slid them back inside. “How much?”

“One ninety-five including tax.”

Daniel handed over the two dollars, “Keep the change.” 

“Bag?”

“No thanks.” He put away his wallet, following the lighter, then grabbed the coffee and the pack of cigarettes, but right before he could walk away the cashier asked another question.

“Your roommate is pretty young, what’s up with that?”

“Just giving him a place to stay since he just moved out.”

“Ah, I see, sorry for being nosy. Are you sure you don’t need any medical supplies?”

Daniel looked at him confused.

“Your wound.” He pointed out.

“Oh, nah, I’m headed home soon anyways. ‘Tis a flesh wound.” He referenced jokingly.

The cashier finally let out a laugh, “Okay, you have a good night. Drive careful.”

“Good night to you too.” Daniel replied, about to open the door. He stopped before pushing against it, “Actually one last thing.” He went on to mention the address, if he happened to know how far the location was, if he had heard of it.

The cashier gave him an awkward smile, “Uh, yeah, it’s just five minutes down the road. It’ll be on your left.”

“Thanks.” Daniel said, keeping his smile till the moment he was out the door. The exhaustion was definitely not helping his frustration, but hopefully the caffeine would keep him up for a few more hours until he could finally go home and sleep. He could sleep in his car, he considered for a second, then turned it down. He made it this far, he went through with buying a coffee and handled an awkward conversation. 

_ ‘Not to mention the corpse in the trunk.’ _

He couldn’t help but groan out loud, squinting his eyes for a single moment. He put the drink up to his lips and immediately yanked it away due to the heat that graced his skin. One curse later and a long pause, he set the drink between his legs and reached for the textbook and opened up to the page. He read the address again, double checking before looking back at the map. Five minutes away. On the left. He should have asked what it was, since the cashier clearly knew what he was talking about. Oh well, he figured, it’ll remain a surprise. Either a pleasant and well-worth one, or a cruel prank that might make him have to let out his pent up exasperation. Good thing he held onto his broken plaything that might come in handy for a second round.

He popped off the lid and blew against the surface of his drink, causing ripples. He poked it with the tip of his index to make sure it was cooled off this time before downing it despite the bitterness. He didn’t finish it but drank enough to keep him up for a bit longer. He took the time to dump out the rest on the concrete and throw away the cup before finally starting up the car again, driving the five minutes to his destination.

The sign was hard to miss, the only lit up sign around, and it was extra at that. Bright red neon on a tall pole, only a few feet away from the building that was also littered with neon lights that traced the roof. He didn’t have to peek through the windows to realize what it was that he drove all the way there for. He parked and had to keep himself under control. 

_ This _ is what he came for? A sex shop? So it was a cruel prank after all. He should have seen it coming considering it came out of a student textbook. 

He gripped the wheel even after turning off the engine out of stress. After another strained squint and groan, he let out a deep sigh, the longest one that night.  _ Fuck it, _ he thought. He might as well check it out after all that he went through to get there. Again he didn’t lock the car but instead left it idle as he strolled into the store, bell above the door signalling he had entered. 

He definitely wasn’t eased into it, the moment he stepped in he was bombarded with explicit magazines, posters, and toys everywhere. There was no one behind the counter, which he was a bit relieved by. He was close to walking straight out but then someone entered through a black curtain from the end of the room to greet him. 

“Been awhile since I’ve seen a new face around here.” The stranger said, a slightly shorter man with dirty blonde hair in a messy curtained style. His dark blue eyes were framed by thin gold aviators as he kept direct eye contact with Daniel, grinning as he went to shake his hand. He looked fairly young for a man working at an adult store, around David’s age, maybe even younger.

Daniel instinctively took his hand out of his pocket but held back on shaking when he looked down at the mess, “My hands aren’t exactly the cleanest right now.”

“I see,” He held back his hand. “Get in an accident?”

“Yeah, hit a deer.”

“Well there’s a bathroom down the hall if you wanna wash up. But you won’t be the dirtiest customer to walk in through that door, trust me. So don’t feel pressured.” He went behind the counter to check the register, counting the money as if he was making sure it was all there, as if Daniel was even there long enough to take anything.

Daniel’s focus turned away from him to look around. The man began to talk again after shutting the register drawer,

“Where you from?”

“Los Angeles.”

He then repeated the name but exaggerated the syllables, “Los-An-gel-es. Great place, horrid traffic. Long drive from here though, but I can’t say it’s not all too uncommon for desperate folks to get their fix. Especially at this time, god forbid the girlfriend finds out.”

“Yeah.” Daniel simply replied as he slowly walked around, glancing at the magazines with a glazed look, uninterested in the pin-up girls on the covers. He should have turned back after the accident and just went home, especially with how talkative this guy was. 

The man spoke up again on cue, “You’re not here for that tame shit, are you?” Daniel looked back at him questionably and he went on, “Of course you wouldn’t drive two hours for that vanilla stuff. Not to mention getting in an accident and not going straight to the hospital, or back home. I get it.” He grinned again, “Follow me.”

He already made his way towards the curtain at the back of the room and Daniel went ahead and followed him into a dark hallway. Walls, ceiling, and floor all painted black like an underground club. He spotted the washroom just a few feet to his left.

“Mind if I wash my hands first?” Daniel asked.

“Go for it. I’ll be in this back room.” He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb in the opposite direction. “Just walk in when you’re done.”

Daniel gave a nod and went into the bathroom to do his business and clean off all the blood. There was no use in trying to get the stains off his shirt but he scrubbed at his hands with the soap, trying to dig under his fingernails to get it all off and down the drain. He rinsed his head wound with some lukewarm water and patted it dry, looking in the mirror at himself for only a moment before exiting. 

He walked down the hall until he reached a door slightly open with light shining through and opened it to find the same young male, leaning over a box of magazines, except he noticed these ones weren’t like the ones up front. The man noticed Daniel staring and stepped closer, opening one up and showing him the contents inside. Inside was a blonde woman with makeup dripping down her face, bright red lipstick smeared against her chin, a tight grip holding her cheeks to lift her head up. In the next page her body was splayed out on an uncovered mattress, hands handcuffed to a bed frame while her legs were tied with rope, spread apart. 

Daniel glanced towards the wall but the man got right into his personal space till they were touching shoulders as he turned the page and lifted it up higher. This time the woman was being penetrated, seemingly nonconsensually. He wasn’t sure if she was acting or if it really was against her will, but considering it was in a magazine, she must have been an actress.

The man looked at him, “I can’t tell if you’re just that naturally stone-faced or if you’re actually not interested. I know you’re not a cop so what is it?”

_ ‘So it is nonconsensual. Figures.’ _

Daniel finally changed his expression to a smirk, “What makes you think I’m not a cop?”

The guy smirked back, “What kind of cop walks around with dry blood on his hands? Especially into a porn store?”

“Fair point.”

“So what is it?” He asked, then immediately spoke before he even got an answer, “Wait, I know what it is.” He closed the magazine and put it back in the box with the rest of them, “I don’t judge. In fact, it’d be hypocritical of me if I did, considering I’m into just about everything.” He knelt down to the floor and slid another box of magazines out, grabbing the first one he saw and handing it towards Daniel, “This more your speed?”

It was similar to the one before, except this one was full of men instead of women. If Daniel hadn’t relieved his sexual frustration earlier he was sure he would have popped a boner there and then. Still, it captured his interest. He flipped through the pages as the man offered a price to him.

“One dollar for every magazine, and after all you can’t get this kind of shit in your average shop.” He said, resting his arm against one of the boxes on top of the table.

Daniel flipped to another page, one with more blood and bruises than the previous ones, and at that point he was convinced. “Alright,” he said, “I’ll take a few.” 

“Well,” He started, picking up the box and setting it down on the table, “Pick out whatever ones you like.” He said, moving away and going towards another part of the room, this time the boxes had lids on them. “We have a theater as well if you’re interested.” He said, taking off the lid and lifting up a film reel, “I usually only play what’s allowed but I can make an exception for you. Only rule is that you make sure to clean up after yourself if you decide to rub one off in there.”

“I’m fine, but thanks for the offer.” Daniel replied before he started shifting through the magazines.

“Do you happen to have a TV console?” The man asked as he set down the reel. 

Daniel gave a sharp, quick ‘no’ as he continued looking.

“I know they’re expensive but if you happened to invest in one, I have some smut films recorded on video cassettes. More extreme content. And that way you could watch whenever you’d like in the comfort of your own home.” He put the lid back on and turned around, leaning back against it while crossing his arms.

Daniel didn’t turn around to face him, “It’s not of more drugged up women, is it?” 

“Who said they were drugged?”

“My bad for assuming.” Daniel said, deadpan. 

“Well I have more of that, most of it is, but I have a few you’d like, and more in the making. Hell, if you’d like,” He made his way back next to Daniel so he would face him, “You can make a specific request. Maybe I’d even let you star in one.” 

Daniel eyed him, “You want me to rape some random guy on camera?”

“Only if you’d want to. Doesn’t have to be a random passerby either. Got anyone you want to hate-fuck? Just bring ‘em by. Tell them any lie, or go the easy way and roofie ‘em. Doesn’t matter.”

“So you  _ do  _ drug them.” Daniel said as the man shrugged his shoulders with a sly smile. Daniel asked another question, “What do you do to them afterwards?” 

“We wear masks so it doesn’t matter if we set them free. We don’t tend to kill them, we’re not  _ that _ bad.”

_ ‘Ah.’ _

“So,” He said, “How about it?”

“I’ll think about it.” Daniel admitted. “Got anything else for now?”

“Just toys if you have a partner, you don’t seem the type to use them on yourself. Oh, and stuff for bondage.”

“Like rope?”

“Rope, tape, and handcuffs.”

Sure, he and David hadn’t done it yet, but the supplies would come in handy later on. He ended up checking out with much more than he thought he’d end up with considering his original plan was just to look around and immediately leave. Who knows what time he’d end up getting home. He’d probably get another coffee before his two hour trip, he thought as he looked out the windows of the shop while the price was being totaled. 

“Would you want to exchange numbers?” The man asked. Daniel raised an eyebrow and the man gave a short amused chuckle, “I meant for business, not a hook-up.” 

“Oh, yeah.” Daniel replied.

The man, who apparently went by Cal, wrote his name and number down on a spare piece of paper with a red pen. He tore it in half and handed both of them to Daniel. On the blank page Daniel did the same with his own information, only leaving a first name and his number, nothing else. After paying, Cal took the paper and read it,

“Pleasure doing business with you, Daniel. And recommend us if you’d like, just keep it on the down-low with the illegal shit.” He gave a wink.

“Yeah, no problem.” He replied before leaving. 

He tossed the supplies and magazines in the back seat, started up the car and made his way back home. He really should have gotten another drink before he was already driving away from civilization, but he managed to make it home without too many swerves on the road. He parked his car and got the things out of the back seat, and he’d worry about the rest tomorrow, the broken windshield could wait. He didn’t even take a shower or take off his clothes besides the jacket and shoes. Instead he got in bed and passed out almost instantly. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kek sorry


	10. Drive-in

The doorbell woke him up in the late morning but it felt so surreal. He waited for a few seconds just staring at the ceiling and making an annoyed expression at it. A set of loud knocks forced him up out of bed and down the stairs. The door swung open before he realized what he was doing, and David stood there wide-eyed in horror.

“Oh my god are you okay?!” David asked quite loudly.

Daniel blinked, “Uh, yeah? Why?”

“Your car? Your shirt?!”

Daniel looked down at the dark brown stains on his shirt from the dry blood from last night. 

_‘Last night.’_ He thought. _‘Fuck.’_

“Oh, that,” Daniel started, rubbing the tiredness off his face, “Long story short, I hit a deer while driving.”

“Are you okay?” David immediately noticed the huge scabbed area on Daniel’s forehead when he put his hand down and went up to him to examine it. 

“I’m fine,” Daniel reassured as he held David’s wrists that reached up to his face, pulling them down lightly, “Minor damage.”

“Tell that to your windshield... Did you even go to the hospital?”

“No, I’m fine, really.” Daniel smiled just to prove it. “How’d you know where I lived anyways?”

“Do you not even remember our phone call this morning? I called you about our date and you told me to come over, then gave me your address. We should get you to the hospital.”

He vaguely remembered it, but he could have sworn it was just a quick dream. Was his house even in shape to have guests? He didn’t even remember properly putting away the things he bought. They could still be on the kitchen table. Imagine trying to explain _that._

“Well I’m glad you stopped by to check on me,” Daniel said, giving David a kiss on the cheek, “Would you mind waiting in the hall for a hot minute? I just need to put away some things before you come in.”

“Oh, yeah of course.” David said with a sincere smile.

Daniel closed the door behind the other male and gave him a quick smile before heading to the kitchen. He grabbed the bags off the table and practically shoved them in the food pantry. He checked if there were any blood stains left on the floor but luckily all of it had dried against his skin when he walked through the door last night. Everything seemed to be in the clear. 

He entered the hallway again, “Sorry about that. I didn’t get the chance to clean last night when I got back, just passed out right away.”

“That’s okay. May I ask where you went last night?” Before Daniel could answer he immediately tried to take it back, “I mean, if you want to tell me, it’s really none of my business.”

“Oh no it’s fine. I simply couldn’t sleep and thought a drive would help. Next thing I knew I hit a deer and got a small concussion. But I swear I’m fine.”

David furrowed his eyebrows a tiny bit, not fully convinced that Daniel was completely A-OK. Even if he seemed okay, a serious head injury could go unnoticed. He showed his uncertainty by tapping his finger against his other arm, a small nervous tick that Daniel noticed right away.

“David,” Daniel said, putting a hand on his upper arm, “Would it make you feel better if I went to the hospital?”

David gave a sigh of relief, “Please do.”

Daniel matched his sigh but exaggerated it greatly, “I guess I’ll go.” He smiled and pinched David’s cheek, “But you have to do something for me.” 

David made him let go, “And that is?”

“I need to get my windshield replaced today, so if you’d _oh so graciously_ pick me up from the auto repair shop and hang out with me till it’s done, I’ll go see a doctor.”

“Oh! We can drop your car off and I’ll take you to the hospital while it’s getting fixed.”

“I was thinking of an ice cream date, but that works too I guess.” 

“We can get ice cream on our date later tonight, that is, if you’re not going to die from some internal bleeding or something like that.” David said, brushing Daniel’s messy hair back to look at the injury again.

Daniel gave him a sad puppy-dog expression and spoke sadly to match it, “If I have twenty four hours to live, will you spend it with me?” 

“You’re not allowed to die. Not until I steal your last name from you, and we adopt kids and raise them. _Together.”_

Daniel was just messing around, but he enjoyed that response, so he asked if it was sincere, “Is that a promise?”

David took a moment to consider it, looking him right in the eye confidently, “Yeah, it is.”

“That’s quite a commitment, considering we’ve only known each other several days now.” Daniel said with a smile and calm eyes.

“Are you implying I’ll regret it?” David asked.

“Not at all.” Daniel said, pulling him in for an embrace and to pet the back of his red hair, then repeating the words softer, _“Not at all.”_

David went quiet for a moment, wanting to be held longer but Daniel’s hold on him was strong enough to be uncomfortable so he slightly resisted so that Daniel would finally let go.

“I don’t think you know your own strength.” David commented, looking back at the mess and giving a suggestion, “That’s a lot of blood… You should go wash up.”

Daniel spoke sarcastically, “Oh, what? Nah, I planned to go out in public like this. You should see how well it attracts the women.”

David smiled, rolling his eyes and then gave him a light shove, “Go on.”

He gave in and started walking out of the kitchen, “Alright, alright.”

“I’ll be down here.”

“I shouldn’t be too long.” Daniel mentioned before climbing up the stairs to get ready. 

It only took him about twenty minutes, and by the time he came back downstairs David had already treated himself to a cup of coffee. Daniel looked a bit panicked, till he read the questioning look on David’s face. 

“What’s wrong?” The ginger asked. “Oh, I should have asked. I’m sorry.”

“No no, you’re fine.” _‘Thank god, he didn’t look in the pantry.’_ “I forgot you were down here. I’m always home alone. Instinct, I guess.”

“Oh, better get used to it for the future.” David said, flirting again. He took another drink and then poured the last bit into the sink, rinsing the cup out, about to reach for the soap but Daniel mentioned he didn’t need to go through the trouble.

“I’ll get to it later.” Daniel said. “We should get going while it’s still early.”

It was early by the looks of the sunlight's angle outside, so still before noon. What time did he even get back? He guessed around six in the morning, if it was even that soon. It was probably even later than that. He guessed he got maybe five hours of sleep, or less than that. It was going to be a long day if he didn’t fit a nap into his schedule. He’d worry about that later.

For now he and David drove separately to the car shop to get the windshield replaced. The shop said it’d take an hour or two, long enough for them to fit in a spontaneous doctor’s appointment while they waited. David’s paternal instincts seemed to have kicked in, as he started treating Daniel as if he was a sick child in his care. From driving, to talking to the receptionist, to following-- no, _leading_ the way into the examination room, and even as far as starting the conversation with the doctor, only going quiet when the doctor asked for the details, which David had no clue of. Instead, his green eyes would focus on Daniel directly while he explained, then back to the doctor to hear his input. 

The doctor then did some standard tests as for any check up, followed by a full body exam and an X-ray. David bit the side of his index finger a lot as he waited for his final thoughts, and only stopped when the relief of a simple confirmation was said. Daniel was supposedly fine, and didn’t even need stitches. It was better safe than sorry, David reminded the blonde as they left. 

They stopped to get ice cream and had sat around in the parking lot till the car repair was finished. Daniel paid and everything seemed fine, well, besides the blood stains on the interior. He’d clean it up when he got home. David looked at him, seemingly worried still.

“Why are you still worried?” Daniel asked him bluntly.

David took a moment to think of a reply, “I don’t know, I’m just a little bit paranoid. Are you sure you’ll be okay tonight?”

“I’ll be fine, I promise. And make sure to wear a jacket tonight. Unless you want to wear mine.”

“Where are we going? Ice skating?”

“Please, you can barely roller skate.” Daniel joked.

“Come on, tell me.” David persisted, inching closer to the blonde. “Pretty please?”

“It’ll be more fun as a surprise, don’t you think?”

David hummed, “If it’s going to be a surprise, I want you to go all out. Blindfold and everything.”

Daniel smirked, “I’ll keep note of that for future reference.” He then looked to his car and sighed, “Well, I oughta go home and do some deep cleaning, followed by a nap. I’ll pick you up around six, sound good?”

“Yeah, but this isn’t a formal event, right?”

“Oh no, of course not. Wear pajamas if you want to. We’ll still be in public though, so at least wear _some_ clothing.”

“Okay okay I got it. I’ll let you go then.” David said before kissing him. “Get some rest.”

“I will, no worries.” Daniel said, opening up the car door. “I’ll see you later, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

Daniel went out to do what he said, while David returned back to his own place to get ready for his last class for the week. They didn’t see each other till evening right before sundown, just as Daniel had mentioned. Despite almost deciding to sleep past his alarm due to exhaustion, he reminded himself of why it was worth it to get up. He went through the routine and put on one of his best colognes, the one he always wore when meeting up with David. He sprayed the woodsy scent into his hands and patted it against the sides of his neck before adjusting the collar of his shirt and looking at himself in the mirror. One more finishing touch to his slicked back hair and he was good to go he decided. In a hurry, he grabbed a random jacket from the closet and rushed down the stairs out of the house to pick up his date. 

David meanwhile was busy worrying to Jasper, asking if he looked okay enough. Jasper sat on the couch while David stood in front of the television, blocking his view as he ranted anxiously.

“Are you sure you’re sure? I don’t look ridiculous? At all?” David asked.

“You weren’t this worried the first two dates, why are you stressing about it now?” Jasper asked as he leaned towards the side to get a better view of the screen.

“I don’t know. I guess it’s just the pressure of commitment setting in. Like, it’s finally hit me that this is becoming a serious thing.” David explained, shifting.

Jasper could straight up laugh at that, a bitter one. Yet he held his tongue and swayed to the other side to see the screen and then replied, “Well, you look fine. You always do.”

David sighed, “You’re just saying that because we’re friends.”

_‘Ouch.’_ Jasper thought, matching David’s sigh with one of his own. He got up and moved past his roommate, manually turning the television off and turning around to face him, getting up in his face, almost intimidatingly. 

“Jasper?” David asked, quickly blinking.

Jasper’s attention stayed on David’s lips, until David repeated his name again and their eyes met, faces not even a foot apart. Jasper’s hand slowly rose up in the air and towards David’s forehead to wipe away his red hair. It was so _intimate._

Until Jasper connected a thumb and index and flicked his bare forehead, hard.

“Hey! What the hell was that for?!” David whined as he backed away, palming his forehead lightly.

“For being paranoid about something so tame. You look fine, _amazing,_ actually. Besides, Daniel said it wasn’t formal, right? If anything you’re dressed too over-the-top.” Jasper said, crossing his arms.

“Could have just told me so...” David complained. He was silent for a quick pause before bringing back up again after letting his hand fall back to his side, “So does that mean I should go change into something more casual then?”

“Ugh, if you want. It better be your last outfit change though. I’m sure he’s already on his way. It’s almost six.” He said after glancing at his wrist watch.

“Okay, okay. Last time.” David said as he briskly walked back to the stairway.

Jasper sat back down on the couch but not even a minute later there was a knock at the door, the familiar “Shave and a Haircut” tune. David shouted from upstairs, something along the lines of, ‘it’s him!’. Jasper gave a light sigh to himself and got back up to answer it. Unsurprisingly, it was Daniel.

“Ahh, there’s the lucky lady of the night.” Daniel joked. “Ready for our date?”

Jasper forced a smile and spoke sarcastically, “Ready as I’ll ever be.” He moved to the side to let him in, “He’s changing his outfit for the third time, so he’ll be a minute.”

Daniel stepped in and continued creating small talk with him, “So, what are your thoughts on the Vietnam War?”

This time Jasper didn’t smile, “What?”

Daniel laughed, “I mean, how’s the weather?”

Jasper ignored his question by asking his own, “Where are you taking him?”

“It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

“Oh don’t worry, I won’t tell him.” Jasper said, crossing his arms.

“The drive-in.” Daniel stated.

“And what time do you plan on bringing him back home?”

“Well gee, if I knew his father was threatening me with his shotgun, I would have checked the times.” Daniel said mockingly with a smile.

Jasper glowered for a moment before looking down to think for a split second, expression changing to a similar smile, one of slight menace. Daniel wasn’t the slightest bit intimidated by it though. Jasper looked as if he was about to say something harsh to match but David walked down the steps and interrupted.

“Is this fine?” He asked.

Jasper opened his mouth to reply but took a second too long to properly spit the words out so Daniel answered instead,

“Stunning as always.”

“I meant is it appropriate, since you refuse to tell me where we’re going.” He made his way closer to them, “But thank you.” He kissed Daniel on the cheek.

Jasper almost physically cringed like a kid experiencing a long make out session in a movie. He was urged to get them out, well, specifically Daniel, but he also worried about David. 

Jasper repeated his earlier question, “When will you have him back?”

“Shouldn’t be a minute past midnight.” Daniel said.

“Okay.” Jasper accepted, letting his arms fall casually. He didn’t have to say it out loud for Daniel to know he’d call the cops if he wasn’t home by twelve. The previous dates he wasn’t so concerned, considering Jasper’s job getting in the way the first time, and the second one with him being present the entire date. 

This time however, the man didn’t have anything occupying himself so it was clear he’d stay up until David was back home safely. Daniel couldn’t begin to imagine how suffocating it’d be to have a guardian figure breathing down your back relentlessly, taking up all the oxygen for themselves in an act of ‘protecting’ you. Yet at the same time, it was hard to deny that David was one of those people who naturally needed someone to cling to, to keep an eye on him constantly. It wasn’t that he was prone to misbehaving like that of a delinquent, but rather a small, nervous dog. Like the breeds that women often carried in their purses due to their separation anxiety. One that would wet the rug if it was left alone for an hour too long due to the fear of abandonment. 

‘ _Wow, what an attractive analogy,’_ Daniel thought sarcastically. Thank god he wasn’t saying his thoughts out loud.

“Should we get going?” Daniel asked.

“Yep!” David exclaimed. He looked to Jasper, “I’ll be back in a few hours.”

Jasper nodded and Daniel opened the door for them to leave. The temperature was already dropping close to the sixties as the sun was going down, so Daniel rolled down the windows. He turned on the radio as they drove and David kept his head leaning towards the side to take in the breeze, fitting the dog analogy from earlier almost perfectly, all he had to do next was stick his tongue out and start panting. It wasn’t too long until David saw the sign and his eyes lit up, his posture straightening.

“Woah! A drive-in?” David asked.

“Yeah, have you ever been to one?”

“I’ve been to the regular theater with Jasper plenty of times, but not a drive-in.” He poked his head out the window further as they waited in the line of cars, trying to read the movie titles. “ _Jaws_ and _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ … But it’s not even Halloween.”

“What? Don’t like horror?” Daniel asked.

“Well I don’t _hate_ it…” He sat back in his seat, “...As long as it’s not super bloody.”

“These aren’t so bad.”

“I feel like you’re lying to me.”

“Depends on what you consider too much blood.”

“Paper cut? That’s okay, it happens. But someone getting their entire finger cut off? That’s too much for me.”

Daniel laughed, “That’s like every horror film!” He stopped to pay and then continued talking to David. “But I suppose psychological is good too.”

“That’s even worse!”

“What? How?” He asked, genuinely shocked and confused. How the hell could someone _not_ enjoy a decent psychological thriller?

“Doesn’t it ever make you paranoid?” David asked him.

“Over what?”

“That something could happen in real life. Stalkers are real, you know. And it’s terrifying.” David looked nervous. “Killers too. It’s awful.”

He could have laughed at that, but David’s demeanor was too serious for Daniel to reference another joke to how they met, or the filthy secretive details. Instead he parked the car in the designated area and thought of something more along the lines of reassurance that David survived off of.

“There’s really no need to worry.” He stated plainly as he shut off the car engine.

“Why’s that?” David asked, giving Daniel a certain look that made him almost irresistible. His round eyes were so inviting in a begging way _._ Considering the context, Daniel knew he wanted the certainty of safety. He’d hold back for now on his sexual advances and give him what he wanted. Well, maybe he’d go for something small for now.

Daniel slowly leaned in towards him, looking directly into his eyes. He saw them switch from yearning gaze to one of fear. He almost forgot what he was going to say, too absorbed in his own urge to grab a hold of his skull and stick his fingernails deep into those green marbles. 

Before David could speak he finally broke the silence with what he intended to say sooner, “You shouldn’t worry because I’ll kill anyone who touches you first.”

David didn’t get a proper response since Daniel’s lips were already on his own. 

_‘Maybe that was a bit overkill.’_ Daniel thought swiftly before shoving the thought back with a swifter _‘nah’_ and continued keeping his lips stuck against David’s like gooey caramel.

David could have sworn that was some sort of threat sugarcoated with a false sense of security. He couldn’t tell because it was said so fast… Unless, maybe he misheard? Or perhaps he was being too paranoid. But he was pretty damn sure he heard that last word correctly... Maybe he was interpreting it wrong. 

But god damn, his worry _did_ end up disappearing as soon as Daniel’s tongue slipped past his lips. He almost moaned but held back due to the windows being rolled down, but it almost didn’t matter. Daniel outstretched his arm further, about to crawl over into David’s seat on top of him. However, now it did matter to David so he turned away to stop the kiss. It didn’t stop the blonde though as his lips started to focus on David’s neck instead, sucking and lightly biting his skin.

David had to abstain and put his arms up to push him off gently, giving an excuse, “Daniel, the movie hasn’t even started yet.”

“Good, we won’t miss anything then.” Daniel said, trying to advance again. David pushed him off again though and he gave a confused expression before looking up towards the screen in front of them, “They’re just running the commercials.” He looked back at his date, “Is something wrong?”

“No, I’m fine. I just don’t think we should do that yet.”

“Okay, no problem.” Daniel said, backing off, clinging to that last word, _‘yet’_. “Do you want any snacks or a drink beforehand?” He asked.

“A water would be appreciated.” 

“Gotcha, I’ll be back in a minute or two.” Daniel said as he grabbed the handle and got out of the car. 

David let himself sink into his seat with an exhale. He really wanted to get intimate with Daniel, _badly._ But he knew it was a tad bit too soon, and the location was too risky for his first time. He just hoped he wouldn’t be waiting _too_ long to do it and end up losing the blonde’s interest entirely. Surely that wouldn’t be the case though, they had a connection. An odd start, yeah, but they wouldn’t have crossed paths again if there hadn’t been that spiritual link. Hell, he was serious about marriage in the future. Daniel seemed serious about it too, hopefully. He was still scared, terrified even, of the possibility of being used. He fell so fucking hard for this stranger despite not knowing his background, despite what others would consider red flags. But he hoped that if he put his full trust in him that he’d get it in return, along with the long-term commitment he craved.

He smiled to himself in a pitiful manner. It really was ridiculous how obsessed he was with Daniel. He knew for a fact though if he attempted to detach himself and move on, even in the slightest, he wouldn’t be able to do it. So he just prayed that nothing bad would happen. It didn’t matter that they barely spent time with each other’s presence, what mattered was that they would be able to use up the rest of their lives to make up for the previous absence.

God, he really wanted to be held right then. 

His body involuntarily shivered and he rubbed his arm with the other. The temperature managed to drop pretty low after the sun had set on the ride there. Daniel was right, he thought, he should have brought a jacket. There was the offer that Daniel had made as well, if Daniel wasn’t just flirting and actually felt like giving up his own. Where even was he? It felt like it had been twice as long as he said it would take. It had been about five minutes and he wasn’t back yet. Bathroom break maybe? Or maybe he got stuck in a random conversation, or a long line. He was taking a long time though and it really was cold. 

David looked over in the backseat for any blankets or anything he could use as one. There was nothing back there though, except a receipt. He had an urge to look at it but turned back around to mind his business. _‘Probably a grocery receipt’,_ he thought. That wouldn’t warm him up obviously. 

He looked ahead at the large movie screen ahead, and then towards the hood of the car. Daniel lifted the hood up when they went skating, he remembered. That was the trunk, so maybe there’d be blankets in there in case of emergencies. He and Jasper did that with their own cars, so he assumed it was normal. He opened the door and got out, shivering more at the breeze that hit his body directly and went to the front of the car to get the trunk open.

Daniel was on his way back, arms full with drinks and popcorn. He saw David in the distance, standing outside the car. What was David even doing? As he kept walking closer he noticed David was about to get the trunk open. His first emotion was mild confusion that caused his brows to furrow, before he immediately went wide-eyed when he remembered what was inside.

_‘FUCK, THE DEAD BODY!’_

“DAVID WAIT--” Daniel yelled loud enough for David to hear, and everyone else around them.

David immediately put his hands up in the air and backed away from the trunk, “W-what is it?! What’s wrong?”

Daniel rushed over and now his mind was busy trying to come up with a decent excuse as David lowered his arms back down to his sides slowly, his face taking the turn at confusion. He repeated his question towards the shook-up blonde,

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s a surprise!” Daniel blurted out, eyes darting the trunk.

David looked towards the trunk as well and then back to the wide blue eyes in front of him, “You mean like a present?”

“Yes, exactly.” Daniel gave a pathetic laugh that was mostly air instead of sound. “We can’t go ruining your surprise now, it’s not ready yet…” Daniel still felt the tension in the air and handed David his drink, “Water?”

David slowly took it from him and finally lightened up, looking at the snacks Daniel had stacked in his other arm, “You really went all-out.”

“Yeah, might as well since we’ll be here for about four hours.”

David helped him move everything into the car and got in himself, then Daniel was quick to bring it up again just a minute later. “So,” Daniel started, opening up a glass cola with a pocket bottle opener, “What were you doing looking through my car?” He popped off the cap and the drink instantly fizzed up, but the bubbles conveniently stopped at the top. Before taking a sip he clarified something that made David relax a bit, “I’m not mad at all, just curious.”

David felt himself ease physically, “I was looking for a blanket or a jacket.”

“And what did I tell you beforehand?”

“To bring a jacket, I know.” David sighed.

“Well, yeah, but I was referring to my other statement.” Daniel said, then took a drink of the coke in his hand.

“Uhh…” David pulled a blank despite _just_ thinking about it minutes ago.

“I said,” Daniel started, then handed his coke towards him. David quickly said ‘no thanks’ and Daniel kept his arm outstretched until he finally took it from him. David watched as he took his jacket off and then handed that over as well and then took his soda back, continuing his sentence, “I said that if you didn’t bring a jacket I’d lend you mine.” 

“Oh.” David simply said, then took it to put it on. It fit alright on him for the most part, not as snug as he was used to but still comfortable, and warm, which was what mattered. Yet it smelled good too, which was a total bonus. 

The first movie finally started soon after and they simply snacked on candy and popcorn with their eyes forward, at first at least. Daniel attempted to make a move about twenty minutes into _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ since he was bored with the lack of action on screen. David noticed the hand feeling his own, thumb rubbing circles onto the back of it, and looked over to find the blonde staring at him lustfully. He knew it was in that way due to his lips that curved slightly upwards at one end. If it wasn’t for the smile he would have assumed he was still a bit pissed off at him due to his eyes that lusted in that of a way of an apex predator. He was starting to feel pressured so he simply smiled back innocently and looked away from them. 

Not even five minutes later Daniel was done being passive with his flirting, instead he was back in David’s personal space, kissing his neck and putting his hands where they shouldn’t have been given the place. Once Daniel’s left hand touched his crotch he instinctively grabbed a hold of Daniel’s wrist to stop him.

“Daniel, we can’t do that here.”

“Why not?” Daniel asked, slowly pushing back against David’s weak grip. “We can roll up the windows if you’d prefer.”

“No, I mean, this isn’t where I want my first time to be. I’d rather do it at home. Not to be rude but your car isn’t exactly comfortable...” 

Daniel finally backed off, visibly frustrated but he tried to play it off anyways, “That’s fine. Another night then.”

“Thank you.” David said, suddenly feeling regretful. 

  
  


The rest of the date went by a bit awkwardly. Both of them in silence until David was ready to go home, which was fairly early considering the first movie hadn’t even finished, but the violence was too much for him. He felt really bad, but it seemed too soon to apologize on the ride home, and given Daniel’s finger tapping on the steering wheel due to what he guessed was irritation, he didn’t want to make Daniel snap at him. Instead he said his goodbyes in the car and walked to his front porch by himself. 

Jasper was still awake by the time he stepped through the door, considering it was hours before midnight. David let out a loud sigh after the door shut and Jasper was immediately up off the couch and at his side once he passed through the hallway.

“You’re home early. Like, really early. Did something happen?” Jasper asked, looking David up and down. “Did he do something to you? I swear to god if he--”

“No, no.” David cut him off. “It was me. I made things awkward. It’s nothing, really. We didn’t argue or anything like that. It’s just…”

“It’s what?”

“You know what? It’s really not that big of a deal. I’ll get things sorted out with him tomorrow. I’m gonna go to sleep. Good night Jasper.” David gave a split second smile and then walked to the stairs and headed to his room. 

The second he shut his bedroom door he audibly groaned. He hoped Jasper didn’t hear it, or the loud bang as he threw his head back against the door dramatically, or the even louder yelp of pain that came along right after when he realized he did it too hard.

He gave another long sigh before going to the bathroom to take a shower, but then he stopped at the doorway before seeing himself in the mirror and realized he was still wearing Daniel’s jacket. Daniel was probably on his way back to his own house though, David thought. Besides, it smelled like him, and he wouldn’t miss it for the night. 

_‘I’ll give it back tomorrow.’_

  
  
  



	11. Bonfire

The tapping on the steering wheel dramatically increased once David was gone. He wasn’t necessarily angry at David, well, a bit. It was misdirected anger though, he acknowledged that. He had no reason to be mad at David, the guy wasn’t ready for it. That was okay. But fuck, if he didn’t have any self control he knew he would have forced it upon him. That was the only thing keeping Daniel from going out raping and killing whoever the fuck he wanted. Self control. 

Everyone had some level of it. He had enough to get this far. 

_‘Oh, wait.’_

He almost forgot about the entire corpse shoved in the trunk of his car like a can of ravioli, left outside to bake in a metal container. However the fuck that would occur. Must have looked just as messy as well, but the smell would be much, much worse. 

Where would he even dump it? Go back to the one desolate road he spent hours on? God, he really did not want to drive that much again. Even if it would be just an hour to and fro this time, it didn’t seem appealing whatsoever. 

_‘Well, there’s another option that seems appealing.’_

No, the smell, it’d be awful. He could just find a new one.

_‘A new one? What did I just say about having self control?’_

Self control may have been thrown out the window at this point. Well, maybe. He didn’t purposely kill that kid, right? He just put him out of his misery. Okay, that may have been another lie considering he could have just brought him to a hospital... But perhaps he put him out of the misery that was his life. If you ignore the fact he was pleading up until his neck got gouged.

Yeah, there weren’t really any valid excuses at this point.

Might as well give it another go, he thought blithely. He just had to think of a proper place nearby. While driving he would glance around but everywhere seemed pretty packed considering it was still early on a weekend night. He and David could have been done by now and actually be enjoying the second film, or could have even been simply talking while it played in the background. If David had relaxed a bit, then he wouldn’t have to be doing this.

He exited the car after he finally found an empty parking lot, though he looked around just to make sure. The golden ambience washed over him and his fingers twitched at his sides as he walked towards the trunk. He hesitated while looking down at the yellow glowing surface and his twitching stopped.

It had to be taken out whether or not he was going to meddle with it a second time. It needed to be disposed of. Once it was burnt he could simply repudiate any accusations, not that there would be any. In his mind he was certain that this would easily breeze over and he could go back to his normal routine tomorrow. And hopefully David would be over his awkward state by the time they next spoke. 

He audibly sighed, taking yet another glance left and right as if he was crossing the street before opening up the trunk, automatically scrunching up his face at the slight putrid smell that immediately struck him. Yeah, he wasn’t fucking that. Instead, he grabbed one of the bent legs and tried to slide it onto the pavement. As he pulled however, the skin felt as if it was about to tear, like it was braised like beef in a pot roast, in this case it was slow cooked in its own blood that had surged against the surface where a giant, dark purple bruise formed around the kneecap that Daniel curiously poked as he held the baggy denim up past the thigh. Pushing his finger tip against it, he bent his thumb to pierce it with his nail. The blood wasn’t as fluid anymore, it didn’t leak out quite like it normally would. It was no longer as aqueous, rather more congealed like some sort of slime. 

He could tell when he dragged it the first time that both legs had full shinbone fractures, so it wasn’t surprising for there to be serious vein ruptures, especially considering the lack of breakage of the skin itself. He would have expected the bone to be completely protruding like a white plastic spoon in a jar of strawberry jam. He stopped admiring the bruised patches and pulled the fabric back down before moving his hands up towards the thighs, squeezing the sides as he pulled the body downwards. Momentum quickly took hold of it as the cadaver slid down on its own onto the ground with a soft thump, followed by a louder thump of the trunk shutting after he pulled the gas tank out.

Finally he’d get this over with, he thought as he dragged it by its wrist this time with the tank in his other hand, taking it far enough from his vehicle to be burned. No more fooling around, he told himself, screwing the cap off, ready to pour the gasoline all over his careless mistake. 

The liquid poured towards the opening as he slowly tipped it, giving himself more time to really think it through. It stopped as he hesitated, pulling back and taking a deep inhale, breathing in the strong scent that almost drowned out the stench of the other natural gasses that came from the start of the putrefaction stage. In a moment of reconsideration he twisted the lid back on and set the canister down beside his foot. He reached into his back pocket to find the lighter he bought at the gas station, but pulled out a small bottle of lube from the adult store instead. He planned on using it on David but of course that never happened. He read the label since he hadn’t before when buying it since it really didn’t matter to him at the time. 

_‘Love Oil, Body Scents. Honey Dew Scented.’_

Opening the cork from the small glass bottle, he lifted it up to his nose to smell it. It was nice, something David would probably like. As for taste, he wasn’t sure. There wasn’t supposed to be any sugar so he doubted it’d be as sweet as it smelled. His index covered the opening and he tipped it to coat his fingertip with it, bringing it up to his mouth to take a small taste test.

Wasn’t that sweet, like he expected. 

_‘What the fuck am I stalling for?’_

It was a pointless question, it was obvious as to why he was stalling. The hard-on in his pants was already a dead giveaway. But come on, he thought, it was already a day old and getting gross. It already smelled as the insides were settling, bacteria festering to clean up what he failed to burn. He tried to think about how it would look the next day, and so on. He looked at it now, how mutilated its neck had become, along with the legs that seemed like they were about to detach like a cheaply made doll. However going into detail did the exact opposite of what he expected.

It was getting uncomfortable down there as his erection pushed up against the fabric, so he gave himself the freedom of undoing his belt, dropping down to his knees to finally let out his sexual frustrations of which he postponed due to the events of earlier. It was irritating to get the pants off of the dead man so he acted a bit too forcefully, tearing the jeans towards the waist and carelessly stripping the legs bare, not caring of any further damage he could cause, it really didn’t matter since it was far too late to preserve the body. The lubrication started on his fingers, sticky to the touch that brought an odd twist of satisfaction yet annoyance. He prepared the entrance rather quickly and impatiently shoved himself inside. More lubrication was added for his own comfort, draining the bottle about one fourth down. He fucked into it missionary style, holding the thighs up slightly while digging nails into the cold skin to keep a stable hold of it. Despite being so filled with frustration that it almost didn’t matter at all, he had this nagging paranoia about being caught, so he wanted to make this as fast as possible. Although it wasn’t as warm as he would have preferred, the lubricant made it bearable. It took him only a few minutes to finish this time around, ejaculating inside without a condom. The cum oozed as he slid out, and he gave himself less than a minute to reflect before cleaning up.

The gasoline was reopened and this time he dumped the liquid all over the cadaver, soaking every inch of it before stepping backwards while it still leaked out. After a few feet of distance, he closed it and tossed it to the side, opening up his lighter to crouch down and light the end of the gas trail. Within seconds the fire spread along to the body, engulfing it entirely and lighting up the area with a brighter orange aura than before. The heat bounced off him like a convex mirror, only warming up the front of his body, the focal point being his chest. He raised his hands forward to dry the rest of the substances off as if it was a small campfire for cooking s'mores rather than an unregulated bonfire of burning flesh and bones.

He waited a few minutes before packing up and leaving, not sure exactly how long the fire would burn for, but knowing it would be far too long for him to be able to stay and watch. It was no longer his baggage to stress over. Once he was home, he treated it just like any other average night. 

  
  



	12. Pure Intimacy

David sat around paranoid the entire day, staying in the living room across the kitchen where one of the three phones in the house was. Jasper stayed home with him since he didn’t go into work until evening, but didn’t interact as much as Jasper wanted since David was constantly distracted. As usual, Jasper thought. David always did have a sort of head in the clouds aura, but it only worsened after  _ him. _

And the son of a bitch reappeared at the door around five, knocking on the door with the same tune as last time, just as Jasper was about to offer to skip work to take David out on a proper date. David practically ran to the door and swung it open so fast even Daniel looked surprised. David’s smile caught him off guard considering he was there to apologize.

“Hey there, uh, I’m guessing you’re not mad at me then?” Daniel asked.

“No, why would I be?”

“Well I came to apologize. Even if you happened to forget. I wanted to say I’m sorry for last night, for coming on too strong...”

Jasper was listening from the couch, already pissed off despite the fact he was genuinely apologizing. He wanted to go over and slam the door on his face.

Daniel continued, “And I should have checked with you about your movie preferences. I still have a lot to learn about you, so I’m hoping you can forgive my mistake of poor assumptions. I really didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I should have paid more attention to body language and tone, I’m sorry for being selfish. And for being an impatient dick.”

“It’s fine, I overreacted a bit anyways. And as thrilled as I am to see you, I feel bad, you didn’t have to come all this way just to say sorry. You could have called if you wanted to.” David said sympathetically.

“I figured I’d say it in person. Besides, I wanted to see you. As I always do.” 

“Well come on in! Me and Jasper haven’t been up to much today.” David moved out of the way and Daniel entered the hallway, immediately seeing Jasper over on the couch with his usual glare. David offered to get a drink for him and Daniel politely denied, simply following along so they were all sitting down in the living room, with David next to Jasper on the couch and Daniel in the armchair towards the front window. Daniel sat leaning forward with his feet flat on the ground, elbows against his thighs and hands clasped together as he stared at his fingers, specifically his left index that tapped against the back of his right hand. David rested his own elbow against the arm of the couch as he looked at Daniel. Few seconds of awkward silence and Jasper already knew the cue. 

“Well, I oughta get ready for work.” Jasper said as he stood up. “Unless you need me to stay.” It sounded more like a question, but David politely told him ‘it’s fine’ with a simple smile, which of course meant no. He took his leave, heading up the stairs, and Daniel didn’t begin to speak until he heard the footsteps reach the top. 

“I was wondering if you’d like to hang out again.” Daniel said.

“As I said, me and Jasper haven’t been doing anything today besides sitting around waiting for you to co--” He stopped mid-sentence, mouth open. “I didn’t mean to admit that.”

“You’re fine. I think it’s cute how much you care.”

David’s heart was racing. God, Daniel was just so  _ nice  _ to him. Every time he got worried he was being too awkward or pushy, Daniel was calm in a pleasant way. And holy  _ fuck,  _ it was such a relief after last night. Not to mention the small compliment to go along with the reassurance. He could have just about squealed any time it happened. The realization that they were a  _ thing  _ was enough to make him smile uncontrollably, which he was at that moment.

“Yeah, I was worried. Uhm, were you implying you want to go out again? Or would you rather stay in? Because we can just hang out here if you want to! Or go out. Whatever is fine, really!”

“Whatever you want. I’m not opposed to hanging here.” Daniel said, leaning back in a more relaxed position.

“How about I make popcorn and we can see if anything’s on television?” David suggested. 

“You know there’s not going to be anything till about eight, right?”

“You can check anyways, if nothing’s on then we’ll just listen to music or play a board game.” He got up, tossing the remote to Daniel, “I’ll get started on the popcorn.”

“Don’t start a fire.” Daniel teased, moving to the couch for a better view. “Hey wait, we can’t play a board game with two people!”

“Fine, cards then!” David called out from the kitchen. “Check the TV though!”

“There’s not going to be anything on. It’s Saturday.”

“Check PBS then.” David stated over small sounds of him shifting around pots and pans in one of the cabinets. 

“I doubt there will be anything on the news at this time.” Daniel said, turning on the TV anyways and finding the local news channel.

Once the channel was found, Daniel set the remote down and leaned back to watch and wait. It only took a few moments for Daniel to pick up a few key words to realize what the news anchor was discussing. Apparently David picked it up too despite being in the next room focusing on setting up the pan.

“Did she just say ‘murder’?” David asked, putting down the pan full of virgin olive oil and making his way back to the living room. He walked past the screen and turned to face it, a look of concern on his face as the woman on the screen continued to explain the situation. 

She spoke at the scene as the sun was setting, police and their cars scattered in a parking lot, “The body was found over an hour ago by a local passerby who said he thought the corpse belonged to a large animal. Taking a closer look however, he realized it was the burnt corpse of a  _ human, _ and rushed to the nearest open store to call the police and report the find…” 

“Jesus Christ…” David said, “I think that’s right near us.”

“It is.” Daniel stated casually. Although on the inside he was feeling the same panic that David started to express physically.

“I mean, like,  _ really _ close.” David brought his hand up to his mouth to start chewing on his fingernails slowly and anxiously. 

The woman kept speaking as the camera panned over past the car to zoom in to try and find the visible body. It was covered up with a white sheet however, nothing could be seen behind the veil. The camera kept on the figure for some moments before panning out to the cops, a small crowd, then back to the news reporter. Jasper made his way downstairs and stopped to say his goodbyes, but stopped when he heard the key word ‘body’.

“Woah what?” Jasper asked, standing next to David to stand attention to the same small screen they were glued to. Except neither of the two had to explain it to him since it went more into detail. 

She went on to say that it was definitely a murder, not a freak-accident or suicide. So far only the reporters knew of the burning, not the two broken legs or rape. 

_ ‘Well it wasn’t rape.’ _ Daniel then corrected himself.  _ ‘He was already practically dead.’  _

Right. And it wasn’t necessarily murder, either. An act of mercy, actually. An accident which led to mercy, which then led to some harmless self-indulgence. Whatever it was, he should have spent more effort into covering up his tracks. He should have done more damage, longer burn session for one. He was too clumsy this time around.

_ ‘You live, you learn.’  _ He thought.  _ ‘If I live after this.’ _

Considering the whole  _ Gregg v. Georgia _ ordeal going on, he wasn’t completely sure what the capital punishment laws would be by the time he was caught. Would he even be caught? Probably not. He burnt the corpse enough that his trace shouldn’t be identifiable, just the body itself. He couldn’t care less about… 

He already forgot the name again.

The television turned off and he snapped out of his trance. It was Jasper who manually turned it off.

“Hey! What if they have more to say about it?” David asked.

Jasper stood back up, “They won’t this early in the investigation. They’ll probably just interview some randoms that have no clue what they even saw.”

Daniel was confused as to why Jasper would shut down the topic, till he saw the anxiety-ridden face of David, who kept pushing it.

“They might say something important, you don’t know. Turn it back on.” David ordered.

“David, you know how paranoid that stuff gets you. It’ll be fine. They’ll find whoever it was and he’ll get arrested. Case closed.” He started walking out of the room, but before he did, he looked over to Daniel. “Make sure he doesn’t turn it back on.”

They both waited for Jasper to get his shoes on and leave, and David immediately went for the knobs on the television set.

“David.” Daniel stated.

“You’re really going to listen to him?”

If it wasn’t for a crime that  _ he  _ committed, he wouldn’t have cared whether or not David disobeyed his roommate’s order. But alas...

“He’s right you know, I doubt they have much to say this early on. You’ll have better luck tomorrow if anything.”

“I wonder if it’ll happen again…” David said, hesitating on turning it back on.

“Who knows. But there’s no use in worrying about it right now.” Daniel tried to reassure.

David let out a sigh and got back up without turning it on, “Do you still want popcorn?”

“It’s up to you. I can make it instead if you’d prefer.” 

“Ah, no, it’s fine. I’ll get back on that.” He said before returning to the kitchen to finish making it.

Daniel placed the remote on the small table to his left and started to think more about what he did, and wondered if they’d really be able to find him. He doubted Cal gave a shit, but there was the man at the gas station. If he remembered, he’d have not just his physical description but his name as well. He needed to do another deep clean of his car just in case, especially the trunk. Worst case scenario he’d have to dye his hair another color. He’d go for black to throw them off, and it’d look good, bring out his eyes. But there’d be no point if the dude really did remember the name. Nah, he wouldn’t be outed by some underpaid cashier. There was no proof that he did it. If anything he’d be a suspect.  _ The only suspect.  _ No, they couldn’t identify him. He was doubtful. And he sure as hell wasn’t turning himself in for something he didn’t plan to do. 

The sound of popping from the kitchen increased for a minute before it died down again. David turned the stove off and set the pan aside, removing the lid to put the butter and salt in. Daniel stepped in when David was reaching up for a bowl, going over to show off his height by barely putting in effort to get it for him. David thanked him and grabbed the pot, pouring the popcorn into the bowl by the kitchen table. Daniel saw some melted butter right next to the eye of the stove, and he must have not been processing his thoughts clearly after seeing the news because his first instinct was to reach out and wipe it with his bare hand before it burnt. Once his finger grazed the metal part he jerked his arm back with a loud curse. David flinched, almost dropping the pan, but he managed to keep his grasp on the handle and froze up instead. 

Daniel slammed his balled up fist against the counter, cursing again quieter. David flinched again at that, trying to control his breathing before gaining the confidence to look over and ask if he was okay. Daniel took in a deep inhale before nodding.

“Yeah, I’m fine. That was a dumb fucking move.” He said, verbally referencing his unthinking action just seconds ago, but immediately thinking about his carelessness with the body as well. 

David slowly put the pan down on the table and went over to him, “May I see it?”

Daniel unballed his fist and moved his flat palm towards David without a word. David looked at the red mark across the side of his pinky where the metal part had touched. David guided him to the sink and ran some cold water and stuck his hand under it, holding his wrist so he wouldn’t move.

“It’s not that bad.” Daniel excused, attempting to pull his arm back. 

David held it there firm though, “You sure didn’t react like it was minor.” 

“It caught me by surprise. I wasn’t thinking straight.” 

“At least let me treat it so it at least doesn’t  _ become _ something bad. Hold your hand under this until I’m back.” 

“David, seriously it’s not--”

He was already out of the kitchen and even out of the house. Didn’t even put on his shoes before leaving. 

_ ‘Is he going to the damn store for this?’ _ Daniel thought, looking through the kitchen window above the sink to try and see where David was going. 

He was only out there for a few seconds before coming back in with part of an aloe plant in hand, “Okay, you can turn off the water now.”

Daniel did so and David forced the wounded hand back towards himself, immediately squeezing the gel from the plant onto the burn. Once enough was on there to cover it in a light layer, he set the aloe aside and started massaging the rest of Daniel’s hand soothingly while looking down at it. 

“Does it feel better?” David asked softly, barely above a whisper.

“Much better. Thank you.”

David stopped and got bandages out of the junk drawer, and this time Daniel tried to excuse it again.

“You don’t need to--”

“Obviously I don’t  _ need _ to. I want to.” David insisted, already going through with bandaging up his finger. 

After he was done and setting things back where they belonged, Daniel started to complain, “I can’t even bend my finger now.”

“Would you say that if I had just saved your life?” David exaggerated.

Daniel laughed lightly, “Yeah, totally. Even if my leg was amputated after Vietnam I’d complain about the hospital food.”

“Be thankful you’re alive.” David joked with a smile.

“You’re right. I could be like that burn victim on TV.” Daniel said without a second thought. 

The atmosphere immediately dropped. David’s smile wiped from his face completely and his eyes furrowed as he tried to find out what to say or even feel. Daniel quickly realized his mistake of touching the sensitive subject, as if he were prodding his burn, except in this case it would be the mental burn seared on David’s brain after what he saw on the news. Although he didn’t even really see anything, he simply got a minor description, so Daniel didn’t quite understand why it’d affect him so greatly. Power of imagination, Daniel guessed. Yet he saw the body himself, it honestly wasn’t that bad. Should have expected it coming from someone who couldn’t even witness fake blood in a movie.

He knew it wasn’t the time to debate logic over emotion though, especially when it came to David. So instead he went the safe route and apologized for the second time that night.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have joked about that. Especially considering the timing, and the situation, and y’know…” He trailed off. His apology this time around wasn’t well planned out like the one he prepared on the drive over for their failed date. “Sorry, again.”

David nodded silently. It took him a moment to think it over and realize he really didn’t want to leave the night on another sour note like yesterday. He took the bowl and picked up a piece of popcorn from it, catching Daniel’s attention. Without a word he tossed it in Daniel’s general direction, which led to it flying past his head, getting him to turn his neck to the side to see where it landed behind him.

“Was that supposed to hit me?” He asked.

He looked back to David and then the second one hit him right on the forehead as an answer. David’s smile was back on his face as he took the bowl and led the way back to the living room. Daniel followed along and they both sat on the couch, David with his legs crossed on the cushion and facing the blonde directly instead of front facing. 

“Face me.” David ordered.

Daniel turned, one leg on the couch but shoe hanging off the edge, arm resting against the top of the couch, “Now what?”

“Mouth open.” He did as told again and David gave him one last command, “Eyes closed.”

Once his eyes were shut, he heard a small sound past his ear, followed by a ‘don’t open yet’, then something lightly hit his face right around his mouth. He was about to say something but then this time something landed on his tongue and slightly stuck to it. He closed his mouth to chew the piece of popcorn and David giggled, grabbing another piece to toss it in with as much accuracy as possible. A few more shots of success (and many more unsuccessful), Daniel grabbed the bowl from David for his turn. David repeated the orders he gave to Daniel but for himself, opening up his mouth and making a sound like he was at a dentist, popsicle stick on his tongue. First one thrown got in and he chewed it, making another sound of satisfaction, followed by a ‘not bad’. Daniel made most of the shots in, only a few misses, both accidentally and on purpose to hit David’s forehead as a lighthearted revenge.

“Okay, last one.” Daniel said. “Eyes closed.” He reminded.

David kept them shut with mouth agape, but he heard and felt the shift of the couch as Daniel leaned in closer to him. He could hardly keep his mouth open because of the urge to smile, expecting the kiss to come any moment. Yet he didn’t feel the lips near his own, and instead a finger was shoved down his throat unexpectedly. Instinctively he bit down and Daniel yanked his hand back with a sharp sound of pain.

“Jesus, David!” Daniel yelled, holding onto his hand again like earlier. 

“Oh god I’m so sorry! I didn’t expect you to do that!”

“I meant to catch you off guard as a joke but damn, I didn’t think you’d bite me.” Daniel said, shaking his hand like he was trying to dry it off. 

“I’m sorry, you’re not bleeding, are you?” David asked, genuinely concerned. “Did I hurt your burn?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.” He smiled to let David it was okay, then made a joke for extra reassurance, “Gee, remind me not to receive oral from you.”

David blushed, laughing it off awkwardly, “Yeah, at least not a surprise one.”

  
  


_ ‘Yeah, having your cock bitten isn’t that pleasant.’  _ He almost said aloud.  _ ‘Especially from a supposed dead man.’ _

Daniel shrugged the memory off, getting in a more laid back position, smiling with seductive eyes. Or maybe they were just naturally like that, and David was simply more excited than usual. He was expecting Daniel to say another flirtatious thing, maybe even suggest something like the night before. And honest to god, David would probably accept the invitation this time considering the standards were met. Instead though, the blonde caught him off guard once more.

“Y’know, I think I’m getting a bit tired of all our small-talk.” Daniel stated simply.

“What?” David asked. His heart dropped. What did Daniel mean by that? He wasn’t sure considering Daniel still had that smile on his face. Was he flirting?

“Relax, I don’t mean I’m breaking up with you. Opposite. I want to get to know you on a deeper level. Sort of like when we first met, all the quiz questions we gave each other. Except this time, in depth. I want to know who you are, David.”

David let his posture ease, letting his shoulders fall slowly, leaning back against the arm of the couch, “Well what do you want to know?”

“Anything and everything you want to share.”

David wasn’t sure exactly what to talk about, he felt like they covered a lot of topics since they met, either on the phone or on their outings. 

“Should I give you my entire autobiography or something?” David joked. 

“I wouldn’t mind a copy.” Daniel smiled.

“I’m kidding. I uhm, I don’t really know what to talk about. I feel like you already know the gist of it all.”

“I don’t want a ‘gist’.” Daniel looked over at the blank television screen, “What scares you?”

David looked over to the TV that was turned off, nervous at the question, “Like whether or not I’m scared of spiders? Or do you mean… Like if I’m afraid to die?”

“Either. Both.”

David was hesitant, “Uhm… I don’t like blood. I don’t like jumpscares. I don’t like horror. I’m scared of dying, obviously. Spiders? Only if it’s a venomous species, like a black widow or brown recluse. You know, nothing too out of the ordinary.”

“Are you scared of pain?” Daniel asked, looking at David’s reflection on the screen.

“Who isn’t?” 

“What do you think would be the worst way to die?”

David opened his mouth to reply, then closed it to think more. 

“Probably anything slow and agonizing. Again, nothing too out of the ordinary.”

Daniel nodded, “I understand.”

“What about you?” David asked, looking back towards him. “What are you scared of?”

Daniel chuckled. Then it began to settle in his mind, what  _ was _ he afraid of? His first thought was, nothing, he didn’t have any, since fear was illogical. Especially over something as pointless as heights, insects, or water... On second thought,  _ was _ it illogical though? It depended on the amount, he guessed. Blowing something out of proportion, such as a specific phobia, letting it control your life, _ that _ was illogical. A little fear though, kept him from being caught. Being afraid of life in prison, kept him from getting found out. He wasn’t sure he’d admit that though, especially to the oblivious male next to him. 

Daniel hummed, “I hate situations where I’m not in control, or at least unable to grab the steering wheel if needed, sort of speak. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a fear though,” He smirked, “I wouldn’t let a situation like that happen in the first place.”

“I don’t think it works like that though I mean, you go on an airplane expecting to have control, but if the systems fail and you end up in a crash… You couldn’t predict that, therefore you can’t stop it. I think it’s a real fear, and one that makes sense.”

“Planes have steering wheels, don’t they?” Daniel asked, playfully smug.

“Oh, shut up.” David said, throwing a popcorn kernel at his chest. “I thought you wanted to be all deep.”

“I do.” Daniel said, taking the kernel and tossing it back in the bowl. “I could tell you were getting uncomfortable with the topic.”

“After the news, it’s hard not to…” He gave a pause and looked back to the blank screen, “I hope they catch whoever did it.”

They had a mutual pause of silence before Daniel got up to pick up the pieces of popcorn on the couch and floor. 

“Are you leaving?” David asked, handing the bowl to him when Daniel reached for it.

“Not unless you want me to. I figured I’d clean up though before one of us gets too tired to do it before Jasper gets home.” 

“He won’t be back until way later. Around two or three, usually.” 

“Ah, right.” Daniel said, then he went to go throw away the kernels and rinse the bowl, and David followed suit but stopped in the kitchen archway. 

Daniel looked over at him, “You good?”

“I want to show you something.” David said, smiling. 

Daniel was in the middle of drying his hands on a small towel, “Alright. What do you want to--”

Before he could finish asking what it was, David rushed down the hall and up the stairs. Daniel heard him stop and then shout ‘come on!’ from the second floor. He set the towel down on the counter and stood at the bottom of the steps where he saw David gesturing for him to hurry up before disappearing out of view. When he made his way at the top, David wasn’t in the ‘U’ shaped hall which had four doors, two on each side. He turned around and found one open, already knowing it was David’s. He stood at the doorway and David had an old suitcase open on the bed with a pile of photographs. 

“You said you wanted to see my photography when we first met, right?” David asked despite knowing.

“Yeah, I did.” Daniel said, approaching the bed.

David held a photo, looking at it for a few seconds before handing it to Daniel, “Most of them are just of me and Jasper growing up. I started photography at six, well, if you count a cheap camera and dozens of blurry pictures.” David laughed lightly, handing him another picture of the two of them. “Most of these were taken around the time I was ten and up though. That one is when Jasper and I went fishing during summer camp. We used to go every summer up to Washington just for that. Next thing I knew we were suddenly too old to sign up anymore and I had to find new things to do with my free time, especially after graduating high school. I settled for college since Jasper convinced me by taking the fall and getting a job.” He sighed, “I feel bad that he pays all the bills. It’s why I took up roller skating.”

Daniel looked at him curiously and he went on,

“I’ve been thinking of getting a job at Sonic as a waiter since they’re supposedly easy-going with student schedules. They’re desperate for servers. Only issue is that I didn’t know how to skate and that’s pretty vital.”

“Could always be a cook.”

“Oh god no. I’d rather fall on my face a few hundred times than make food at a restaurant…” David said. He got another picture out, continuing to explain the context of them while Daniel listened intently while studying each one in his hand before setting them down on the bed. Eventually David’s uncle was in one of the pictures.

“May I ask what happened to your parents?” Daniel asked while looking at the photograph, “You said your uncle raised you, correct? And moved to California when you were five?”

“You remember a lot of details. I almost forgot I even mentioned that.” 

“When we were at the café. After my arrest.” 

“I’m still sorry about that.”

“It’s fine. It’ll be a hilarious story to tell at our wedding.”

David smiled for a moment while looking more at the pictures before going solemn, “Ahh, well, it's a bit complicated.” 

“Is it too soon to talk about it?”

“No, I’m serious about us so you ought to know.” David set down the picture in his hand, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Daniel did the same, then continued, “My mom got pregnant with me as a teenager and couldn’t handle having me. But you know, it was before  _ Roe v. Wade _ , she couldn’t risk it. She was also guilt-tripped by her family into going through with it after they found out. Neither of them were ready to have a kid, so they were going to just put me up for adoption. Luckily my dad’s brother offered to raise me instead.” 

He gave a smile but it wasn’t really one of happiness, more like disbelief when starting again with a rhetorical question, “Yet you’d think since he’s my uncle, that I’d still be close to them, don’t you think? Yet they don’t want anything to do with me, even though they’re old enough to accept what happened. Even though I’m old enough to not need them financially or anything like that.” 

His voice started touching the edge of anger, “For god’s sake, they moved down to Florida just so they didn’t have to deal with my uncle pressuring them to visit me. I can’t contact them, any time my uncle even mentions my name my dad ignores and comes up with an excuse to hang up the phone. I’ve written letters but I doubt they even open them... It’s frustrating. I don’t even care about guilt-tripping them for what they did, I just want a connection. Even if it’s just boring small talk.” He paused to let himself take a deep breath. “I’d fly down and see them in person but I don’t think it’d be worth it. I know for a fact they’d shut the door on me. So there’s no point. Jasper always told me he’s the only family I need, so I always saw him as my brother…” He let out a sigh before apologizing, “I’m sorry, I don’t think you wanted to hear me rant about something so depressing.” 

“That’s exactly what I wanted.” Daniel said. “Well, I worded that wrong. I wanted you to open up to me, is what I mean. I want you to know I like hearing you talk about yourself. Even the touchy, depressing subjects…”

“Thank you… I usually just vented to Jasper. I sort of stopped though since he’d never do the same with me. I felt like I was bothering him with my repetitive problems all these years. It just started to feel so one-sided, y’know? God, I hope I’m not doing that now.”

“If I want to talk I will, right now I’m more focused on you.”

“I can’t get over how sweet you are…” David smiled for a moment before letting out a frustrated groan. “I just… I hate that they won’t even give me a chance. It’s the least they can do. Right? At least some closure.” He sighed, “But they genuinely don’t even want me it seems.”

Daniel felt his hand comfortingly, “I want you, David. And y’know what? Jasper is sort of right. You don’t need them. You’re brilliant on your own.”

“On my own…” He repeated. “I know I just said I didn’t need them financially, and I don’t. But god, without Jasper I don’t know how I would have made it this far. So I wouldn’t quite say I’m the independent type at all.”

“That’s not a crime.” Daniel said. “Not all of us are born the same. It’s okay to depend on others.”

“I know, Jasper says the same thing. But it feels awful sometimes, not being able to give back.”

Daniel paused for a moment, looking away, “...For I am the Lord and your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,” He took David’s hand and met his gaze, “Do not fear, I will help you.”

David gave a short laugh, “What?”

“My dad’s a preacher so I have stupid bible verses that stuck from my childhood. But don’t worry, I’m not actually a bible thumper.” He looked back smiling.

“I don’t think we’d be dating if that were the case… Are your parents conservative then?”

“Worried about meeting the family I see.”

“No! Well, yeah, a little.”

“Eh, they’re okay. Honestly if they have any of those thoughts they’re not outward about any of it. I’ve never told them much about my personal life. It never mattered.” Daniel casually stated.

“I see…”

“Don’t worry though, you’ll meet them eventually. You’re important enough to me to show you off to my family. Maybe I’ll even bring you to the whole family reunion. Then you’ll see some  _ real _ conservatives. That’s where the fun is.” He joked sarcastically.

David shook his head, “I’m good! I think I’ll pass on the  _ entire _ family. Meeting the parents is enough for me.”

“Then that’s good enough for me as well.” Daniel said. “Anything else you want to open up about? Or you can ask me about my boring upbringing instead. But I’m sure yours is much more intriguing.”

David sighed, “I don’t know… I’m getting tired of talking so much.” He started putting the pictures back in the suitcase, before shutting it and sliding it under his bed. After that, he sat back on the edge of the bed and then lied down. Daniel lied down as well, taking David’s hand again into his own, looking over at him longingly. David kept his eyes on the ceiling.

David broke the silence, “Do you really think we’ll get married and all that? Or well, figuratively. Who knows how the laws will be in the future.”

“Absolutely. No doubt about it.”

David turned to look at him, “How are you so sure? I mean, I know I am. I just feel it… I can’t explain it that well.”

“I know what you mean. I feel it too.”

“You’re not scared of committing?”

“No, not at all. And you shouldn’t either.” He squeezed David’s hand tighter, “If it were up to me I would have proposed by now.”

“You’re really not scared?”

“Are you?”

“A little bit. I trust you, I do. But I’m scared of if that were to ever change.” His gaze went back up, “I depend so much even though I’m terrified of it.”

“You have nothing to fear. I’m not going to leave you. Ever.”

“Even after just knowing me a couple weeks?”

“David, I knew just after  _ seeing you,  _ that I wanted to spend my life with you.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not.” Daniel said in the most serious tone he could muster. It got David to meet his eyes again. Daniel repeated his promise, “I’m not going to leave you.” Before either of them could say more, Daniel moved to kiss him. Not just a peck on the lips but one that stayed for a few seconds, even the feeling remained after they parted. The parting was short lived as he repeated it, pushing further, urged by his abstinence. David on the other hand was driven by emotional intimacy, still clinging to the words of a promised commitment, ignoring the fear that went along with it. Daniel was on top of him in no time, grasping at his sides and squeezing his skin, a bit too hard that it hurt. David let him know by making a pained sound but Daniel took it as a sign to keep going.

David wasn’t sure if he should interrupt or just handle the discomfort, but moments later the words came out without a second thought.

“H-hey can you let go a bit?”

“Why?” Daniel asked, breath against his neck.

“Your grip is too tight.”

“My bad.” Daniel let go and got off of him completely.

“I didn’t say you had to stop completely.” David said, sitting up slightly.

Daniel looked around the room, “Where’s your camera at?” 

“What? Why?”

“I want to capture this moment.”

“Did I agree to have sex?” David asked.

“Well I assumed…” 

“I knew that was the case…” David got up and Daniel was about to apologize but he opened up a drawer and handed him a Polaroid camera. “Do you know how to work it?” 

“Yeah uh…” He examined it, turning it in his hands. “Once I know how you open it.” 

“Here.” David took it from him for a split moment, opening up the folded camera, “You might want to use the flash though. It’s hard to get a proper indoor shot.” He got a flash bar out and attached it to the top before handing it back before hopping on the bed. “It should have a few more flashes left. No more than ten though…” He lied down, “So what now, Mr. Director?” 

“Smile.” 

David did so as the flash went off, then sat up curiously, “Did it turn out decent?” 

“We’ll see.” Daniel said, taking the photograph and waiting for the image to visualize. “Do I blow on it? Shake it around?”

“No you don’t have to. Just give it a moment.” 

Once it formed Daniel flipped it for David to see, “Not that bad for my first.” 

“No not at all. You might have a knack for it. Or it’s beginner’s luck.”

“Alright well take off your shirt I’ll try again.” 

“Ah, a strip-tease game, hm? Promise not to share these afterwards at least.” He took off his shirt and lied down on the bed again. “Good?”

“I won’t. Now chin up and smile,” Daniel ordered again, snapping the second shot. The image came out somewhat okay, “See, not beginner’s luck.”

“Uh huh. Now what?” 

Daniel put both pictures onto the empty space of the bed before crawling onto the mattress almost on top of David’s form. He pulled David’s pants down enough to expose hair and his barely visible hip bones which he traced with his fingertips. Holding onto one side of his waist, he took the picture which didn’t even show David’s face. 

“This one is definitely fridge-worthy.” Daniel teased before even seeing the picture. 

“You are  _ not  _ putting these up on your fridge.” David scolded.

Daniel grabbed the two others and set them all on the bedside table while David took off the rest of his clothes. Daniel felt like his heart stopped the moment he looked over, slowly setting the camera down with the pictures and getting back on top of the other male. He went from kissing to biting on David’s bottom lip, sucking on his neck while letting his hands roam everywhere along his body. One hand went down lower and David interrupted,

“Wait, did you bring anything?”

“What? Protection? I don’t have anything.”

_ ‘Can you even get STDs from a dead man?’  _ He thought, genuinely curious. 

“No, I know that, I meant lube.”

“Didn’t bring any… Got any Vaseline?”

“Yeah, in the kitchen drawer.”

“On it.” Daniel kissed him on the forehead and was off the bed and out of the room quickly. 

David listened to the hurried footsteps that ran down the stairs and took in a deep inhale. He hopped off the bed to check himself in the bathroom mirror, making sure he didn’t look awful this entire time. An adjustment of his hair and a spray of cologne seemed good enough, but he still felt insecure about going through with this. Daniel was back in the room and David shyly stayed at the bathroom doorway.

“I’m back.” Daniel said, stating the obvious. “Why so shy all of a sudden?”

He got a shrug in response. 

“Would it help if I undressed as well?”

David simply nodded as another silent reply and Daniel tossed the bottle onto the bed and began to undress. David watched as the blonde started with unbuttoning his shirt in front of him. His heart raced and he felt chills on the back of his neck. The closest he saw Daniel not fully clothed was at the beach, yet this was the first time it’d go all the way. The realization hit him hard and his entire face went red. 

“You can get started if you’d like.” Daniel said, taking off his shoes.

“You’re really not nervous?”

“Nah.” He replied casually. 

“Hm, okay…” 

David got back on the bed, feeling a lot more awkward and anxious than he should have been. He began touching himself, starting with massaging his growing member as Daniel continued to take his time exposing his own body. He was already hard, his erection immediately springing up when he pulled the rest of his clothes down. It was bigger than David’s own by quite a lot, and circumcised, leaking a trail of precum from the tip that he circled with a finger. He stayed at the foot of the bed, watching David work himself up. David wasn’t meeting his gaze until he tossed the bottle of Vaseline closer towards him. 

“Pretend I’m not here. I want to watch you first.” Daniel insisted. 

David wanted to say that it was impossible to imagine, but decided against refusing. Instead he opened the bottle and rubbed some of the petroleum jelly against his fingers and stuck them inside himself, not too far in but just enough to make a face of discomfort. 

“You don’t have to rush.” Daniel reassured. 

It was hard not to hurry up with that blue gaze on him, meticulously watching everything he was doing. He noticed Daniel was already touching himself as well so he must have not been judging him. Still though, the silence between them was excruciating. 

“Should I bring the record player up here?” David asked.

“That’s not necessary.”

David gave a quick nod, averting his gaze again and going further with his fingers. He should have been focusing on solely lubricating himself but when he did this, it was hard not to focus on finding and pushing against what felt good. An unexpected moan came out and he could tell it piqued Daniel’s arousal closer to that limit that kept him from immediately mounting him like an animal in heat. They didn’t even talk about what positions they were going to do, what they liked, or at least what they wanted to try. He assumed Daniel would resort to missionary, how lovers would do it, and ask along the way what he enjoyed. It didn’t end up that way however.

When Daniel was finally engaging with him, the blonde actually did start with flipping him over and entering from behind. His upper body stayed close to the mattress and he gripped the nearest pillow since Daniel didn’t start off slow at all. Nails pricked into the skin of his hips, pulling his weight back as he was pounded into harshly. Tears formed in the edges of his eyes once blood was drawn, yet he hadn’t realized yet. Despite the pain at his sides, there was a pooling pleasure in the pit of his stomach as if he was about to climax already. His moans were more like weak cries, gradually increasing with Daniel’s own grunts of physical exertion and gratification. 

As fast as it started, it ended quite abruptly. The pressure on his hips increased enough for him to let out a small cry as Daniel came inside of him despite not having been at it for even five minutes. 

“Shit… Fuck, I’m sorry.” Daniel apologized. 

David ended up flat on the bed while Daniel humped him slowly while on top, coming down from his own orgasm. 

The blonde excused it, “It’s just that you felt so much better than I imagined.” Daniel lightly nipped David’s ear to get him to let out a squeak and squirm uncomfortably. 

“I-it’s okay…” David said, disappointed but also relieved it had ended.

Daniel kept going though, not as fast, but still continued to push inside of him. 

“You don’t have to force yourself.” David attempted to reassure. “We can stop.”

“Don’t worry I can keep going.” Daniel kissed his shoulder, “You feel fucking amazing.” A second kiss turned into a bite that caused David to tense up to handle the pain. He left a few more hard bites, a few drawing blood, all of them making marks. He seemed to calm down after a minute, not biting or talking, simply rolling his hips leisurely against David, breathing close to his ear with closed eyes. 

David wasn’t sure if the change of atmosphere was better or worse, since at least there weren't any sharp pains in his skin, just slight aches from the marks already made. Yet with the switch in pace, it felt more intimate… In an uneasy way. With the breathing close to his ear and the weight on top of him, it felt suffocating, especially with how time seemed to slow down. Just a handful of minutes seemed to seem more intense and drawn out, making him wish it was over with already. His eyes stayed on the clock at his bedside, watching the last number move every sixty seconds about seven times until he was brought out of his inattentive state.

Daniel slipped out to turn him around, kissing him passionately before sticking himself back in, going back to that quick pace from when they started. David was feeling the physical build up again, this time without the painful drawbacks. He didn’t hold back on his signs of enjoyment, hoping Daniel picked them up and kept it simple but fast. 

There were more kisses in between moans, followed by his own screams of David begging, “Oh my god, yeah, Daniel, keep--” cut off by a whine, “Keep going! Please, fuck, please…” His eyes shut tightly.

David opened them back up once his leg was grabbed and lifted in the air, soon both legs were up on Daniel’s shoulders. The position gave him more leverage to slam himself all the way inside, get full on  _ screams  _ to emit from David. Daniel grinned down at him, holding his waist and thrusting harder each time, fully pulling himself out only to slam his cock all the way in and hitting that spot that David was drawn to from the beginning of their session. This time the tears didn’t just pool up in David’s eyes, but slid down the sides of his face. He looked in pain, sounded even worse, but god Daniel knew he loved it. He had to, after all it was sex, he consented to it, and he wasn’t screaming ‘stop’, although, that would have been hot in its own way. In the back of his mind that’s what he started going for, to get David at his limit, to get him to admit defeat and tap out like it was a one-sided wrestling match.

He was so close to the point of climax though that he’d let whatever Daniel did in that moment persist until after he came. Daniel put a hand at the side of his throat,  _ gently _ pressing the front of it with his thumb, urged to place the other hand against it and squeezing just  _ a bit  _ tighter. 

His thoughts of choking out the ginger halted as David finally climaxed, eyes clenched shut and mouth agape. It felt almost  _ too _ good to David, and it made all the tension beforehand worth it. Daniel forced himself to cum again, wanting to get it all out while David was still in that euphoric state that made him more overwhelmingly attractive than usual. Once both of them came down from it, Daniel pulled out and let David lower his legs back down. 

Unexpectedly, David pulled the blonde down into an embrace. 

“I love you.” David said in a tone that sounded like he was about to cry. Daniel took a moment to repeat the words back, giving David the necessary time for non-sexual intimacy by letting himself be held, head on David’s chest and hand in his hair. He wasn’t used to being cuddled, he couldn't remember a time in his life where he was, not even by his mother. David’s hand massaging his scalp felt nice though, he had to admit to himself, but it felt uncomfortable being submissive, even in such a private setting. He shifted off of David, switching roles by forcing David to lie on his own chest.

“What? Did I hurt your ego by holding you?” David teased.

“You wish.” Daniel said, copying David’s previous action of brushing a hand in his hair, feeling his head gently. He stopped and started patting him like he was feeling for something in particular, then commented oddly, “You have a perfectly shaped skull.”

David hesitated in replying but gave a short laugh, “What? That’s a weird compliment. How can you even tell?”

Daniel felt some more, “It’s smooth, round… Not a lot of poking edges. Not misshapen. A bit small…”

“Are you calling me dumb?”

“Oh no, not at all…” He tapped it lightly, “Weak though, I bet. Remember to wear a helmet when skating. We wouldn’t want that pretty little head of yours breaking.”

David was a bit unnerved by the comment, despite it being protective, and hopefully more along a joke. Still though, the way Daniel worded it was peculiar. He decided to let it go, closing his eyes to enjoy the warmth of the body next to him. Daniel’s heartbeat was steady along with his breathing, comforting now compared to earlier. It was more rhythmic, less erratic, something he could fall asleep to like a steady metronome. After a quick shower he hopped back into bed and did fall asleep while cuddled by the blonde who had already seemed to be asleep.

  
  


Both of them napped for a couple hours, but Daniel woke up first. He looked over to find the clock read eleven thirty three. He let out a yawn and moved away from David carefully. Most of the marks he left on David were still visible, multiple bite marks and hickeys around his shoulders and neck, matched with scratches around his sides. He looked serene despite them. 

Daniel put his clothes back on then took a hold of the camera that was still at the bedside next to the clock. Of course he had to take advantage of the situation, and David wouldn’t mind as long as he didn’t share the pictures or hang them up, but he didn’t make any promises on that. He took a few more and thankfully David didn’t wake up from the flashes. After they developed he fit them in his wallet and turned off the lamps, exiting the room, closing the door behind him. While going down the stairs he heard the front door of the house open. 

“Hey, you’re home early.” Daniel said while approaching.

“Is David okay?”

“Yeah, why? Don’t trust me?” He said with a smile.

“Hardly.”

Daniel waved his wallet while gesturing casually, “He’s asleep, all we did was hang out.” Then a picture ‘accidentally’ fell out, followed by a teasing ‘whoops’. 

Jasper picked it up and stared at it, furrowing his brows angrily. It was a picture of David half undressed, smiling up at the camera suggestively. He didn’t have to ask to know what it must have led to. 

He shoved it towards Daniel, “Get out.”

Daniel kept his smirk, taking it calmly, “Thanks. Tell David I can sleepover next time, I need to go home and study for my exam on Monday. Have a nice night, Jasper.” He put it back in his wallet and left, shutting the door behind him.

Jasper wanted to punch the wall, better yet, run after that bastard and sucker punch him in the face. After hanging out with him at the beach he was close to considering that Daniel might be somewhat of a decent guy, but nah, he was right from the start. Hopefully David would realize that soon enough, or if he could at least get it through to David himself, and that he’d actually listen. 

For now, Jasper held back his physical urges that’d surely have consequences, and instead took it out upstairs in his own room with the comfort of a pair of headphones and a cassette of the new album by Blue Öyster Cult.   
  
  



	13. Interrogation

Awakening early in the morning, Daniel did his usual routine of taking a shower, brushing his teeth, getting dressed, shaving, and finishing up with some aftershave and cologne. Before making breakfast he brewed some fresh coffee, sitting in the living room to enjoy while catching up with the morning news. Another local station was going over the murder that he happened to commit. He hardly drank his coffee before he heard a set of knocks at the door. He set it down and went to answer it, expecting David or someone next door. Except he didn’t get the delight of David, nor a surprise complaint from an uptight neighbor. Instead he opened the door to find two cops, one that seemed familiar, probably from his first arrest. The other was definitely a new face, his hand on his holster with shaky fingers.

Of course he had to play it cool, so he smiled brightly and offered for them to come in for coffee, but obviously they were there for another reason. The coolheaded cop asked for his name and the moment he gave them their answer, the anxious one put his hands on a pair of cuffs hanging from his belt loop. Daniel held his hands up head-level and the calm one told the other to ‘chill out’. Daniel watched as both of the cop’s hands went down to his sides, one still with that nervous twitch in his trigger finger. The one that Daniel recognized seemed to be aware that he wasn’t going to be a threat to them, and simply asked him to come along with them. There was no point in resisting so he followed them to the car and let them take him down to the police station. 

He was left in an empty darkened room with a single door and one-way mirror, and the same two cops from earlier walked in after a few minutes with a thin stack of papers. The trigger-happy cop stood while the other sat across from him to start asking questions, but first he went over the papers silently. 

Meanwhile Daniel studied their physicalities. The man sitting down seemed older, old enough to be a father; probably was in fact. He had short black hair with silver strands speckled in it due to aging and stress, along with faded shaved sides and stubble. His dull bluish-grey eyes scanned the pages intently, despite not much being typed on there. He looked exhausted with dark circles that stood out against his pale skin. 

The man in the back was much younger, definitely a rookie. He looked pretty terrified, his skin seeming paler than the two of them, looking like a ghostly apparition in the shadowed corner of the room. Daniel knew the guy must have already been convinced he was the murderer, his widened brown eyes staring full of fear but the inner ends of his eyebrows fixed together in a sense of repulsion and disbelief. He got closer to the table to fix his glare closer on Daniel, and now Daniel could tell that his skin tone actually had a hint of a sunkiss glow to it, and tiny red marks of acne across his chin, or perhaps they were cuts from a pathetic attempt at shaving. He finally spoke with a shaky voice just as fidgety as his hands, breaking the deafening silence,

“You disgust me, you know that? Killing a kid like that, mutilating him, how the fuck did you do it?”

“Excuse me?” Daniel asked. “Killing a kid? I never killed anyone, let alone a minor.”

“Makes sense a sick bastard such as yourself could even lie about such an atrocity.” 

The older man spoke, but not to join in on the accusations but rather to shut his partner up, “Ray, give the man some space, we don’t even know if he’s the guy we’re looking for yet.”

Ray gave out a frustrated sigh as he gave Daniel some more distance but staying close to the table and crossing his arms, “He’s the only suspect, who the hell else are we supposed to be looking for?”

“We don’t know that yet.” He set down the papers finally and looked to Daniel, “Could you describe your whereabouts from Thursday to Friday night?”

Daniel could already tell they were going about this all wrong, but he went along with it, after all he was a lawyer-to-be himself. No harm in answering a few easy questions, just in case they really did have him under arrest with sufficient evidence against him. Remaining silent and calling in someone else to act as his lawyer would blow things out of proportion, if word got around with his peers it could have him getting shit for it, worst case scenario, kicked out of the school itself. And he was confident that he could get out of this on his own. After all, they weren’t recording him. No cameras or tape recorder, and he checked for secret wires under the chairs and table. The room appeared to be clear.

“Thursday I stayed home studying, pulled an all-nighter. Slept all day Friday and went on a date that evening, went back home and slept.” Daniel said casually, leaning back in the metal framed fold-up chair.

“We were told by a witness that you came into a 7-Eleven with blood all over your hands, care to explain?”

“Ah shit, I forgot about that. Yeah, right before I pulled that all-nighter I got in a car crash, just hit a deer, no people.” 

“Where were you going?”

Daniel let out an exhale and rubbed the back of his neck like he was embarrassed, “...An adult store.”

“We know we all have our shameful acts but please answer these with as much honesty as possible.” The man said, looking back at the top paper. “The witness said you claimed to have gotten in a fight, so which is true? The fight or the car accident?”

Daniel almost went with the fight, knowing it’d make more sense to be shameful and not go to the hospital for something like that, but then he’d have to come up with some elaborate interpersonal drama to go along with it. He went with the truth, “Car accident. But I really did hit a deer.”

“And I’m assuming you didn’t go to the hospital for that?”

“Ah, no, well, yeah, but not immediately. I went the next day.” 

“So you _weren’t_ asleep all day. And I don’t recall a lot of deer around that area.”

“It was a really rare coincidence, I know. And obviously I didn’t sleep every second of that day, just most of it.”

“Must have wrecked your car pretty bad. What kind of deer?”

“A fawn, I think. About a year old probably, no antlers so not too much damage, which is why I didn’t feel like I needed to rush to the ER. It mainly only fucked up my windshield, left a few dents in the hood and front bumper but not too bad of a bill.”

“Do you still have the receipts of both the hospital bill and auto repair?”

“Obviously not on me, but back at home, yeah. You guys didn’t even give me time to grab my wallet.” Daniel complained but with a smile, putting both hands on the table casually. 

Ray’s eyes widened even more as he noticed the bandages wrapped around his finger, “Grayson, look.” 

The officer known as Grayson took note of the bandage and immediately questioned him about it, “What caused that?”

“The wreck.” Daniel said immediately.

“Take it off.” Ray ordered.

Daniel smiled at him directly, “Come on, Ray. I can’t take it off, doctor’s orders.”

“It’s Rayford. And we don’t need a damn doctor’s note for murderers, take the fucking bandage off.”

“Fine.” Daniel said, taking it off and setting it on the table, letting both of them get a good look at the red skin.

“Those are burn marks. Your car couldn’t have caught fire from hitting a little deer. You got that from burning your victim after you killed and desecrated him.” Rayford accused.

“Actually, they’re from a hot stove.” Daniel said, deadpan. “Look, can I please call someone? Isn’t that my right?”

Rayford looked at Grayson with an expression that clearly read, ‘don’t do it’, but Grayson went ahead and nodded.

The older man replied, “One call.” He looked over to the phone at the corner of the room and Daniel turned to face it. 

“Thank you.” Daniel said, getting up from his seat which made Rayford put his hand back on his holster instinctively, but the blonde ignored it and went to the rotary wall phone to make a single call. Thankfully he already remembered the phone number by heart, and David answered on the other end with a sleepy voice.

“Hello?” David asked softly. 

_‘Adorable.’_ He thought. “Hey uh, I kind of got myself into some trouble. Could you do me a favor?”

“What? Trouble?” David immediately sat up in bed, worry in his voice, “What do you mean? What happened?” 

“Well, you’re not gonna believe it. I’m back at the police station. Don’t worry, I didn’t do anything. They just _believe_ I did. Which is understandable from their perspective, got a lot of wild conveniences which aren’t helping my defense. Anyways, could you--”

“I’ll be right over. Just give me about twenty minutes.” David said, hanging up abruptly.

“Well?” Rayford asked.

He hung up the phone, “I have someone who will explain to you what happened. Surely if you don’t believe me you’ll at least believe him. He’ll be here in twenty.”

“Better not be the adult shop owner.”

“Nah, although, if I had his number memorized I’m sure he’d give you the rundown as well. I can at least give you the name of the store, you can look it up in a phone book I bet.” Daniel explained as he sat back down, kicking his shoes up on the table and scooting his chair back.

“Hey, legs off the table, this isn’t your mom’s house.” Grayson said in a suddenly irritated tone.

“Woops, my bad.” Daniel said, deciding it was best not to get on their bad side. He had to play it cool, not fool around like he did with Jasper. He moved his legs off the table and they waited for David to arrive, mostly in silence. David arrived five minutes earlier than he said, and Grayson suggested that they talked to him alone in a separate room, but just how he acted at the doctor’s appointment, David took on a parental-type role and insisted on staying in the interrogation room with the blonde. 

“So what is your relationship to him?” Grayson asked David.

Rayford followed with another question straight away, “And what exactly happened since Thursday?”

David nervously looked at Daniel and straightened his posture to fake some confidence as he told the truth at first, “Well me and Daniel are close… But we’re not roommates.”

“Friends or relatives?” Grayson asked.

“Does it matter?” Daniel asked.

“He didn’t ask you.” Rayford stated harshly.

David answered bluntly, “We’re dating.”

“Okay,” Grayson said, “Continue.”

“Again, like I said, we’re not living together yet...”

_‘Yet.’_ Daniel took note of that detail.

David went on, sprinkling in some vague lies, “So I can’t go into deep details of Daniel’s day-to-day activities. But we did spend a lot of time together during the past few days. Every night actually. On Thursday we were together for a few hours. The next morning he called me, half-asleep, and I came over to check on him. He was in a car crash, hit a deer. I took him to the car shop and to the doctor. Later that night we went to a drive-in, I still have my ticket.” He took out his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out the movie ticket with the date and titles, handing it over to Grayson, “And just last night he spent almost the whole night with me at my place.”

Grayson looked at the ticket and gave it back, talking to Rayford despite looking at David, “Do you believe him?”

Rayford took a long look at David, judging silently, “Yeah, but that still means he was for a fact, riding about on Thursday night.”

_‘Great, I really didn’t want David to find out about my little trip.’_ Daniel thought. 

David wasn’t sure what to say then, lost in thought of trying to come up with a decent excuse, but he really didn’t have one for that, especially since he didn’t want to tell something that Daniel had already countered when he wasn’t there. Daniel then got up out of his seat, causing another panic-induced reaction from Rayford who touched his gun.

“Relax amateur, I’m making another phone call.” Daniel said.

“You can’t just--” Rayford was cut off by his superior.

“Make the call. But if the fella on the other end slips up, it’s on you.”

“He’ll tell the truth.” Daniel said, grabbing the phone and dialing the number he finally remembered. After a few long moments of ringing, he swore under his breath. But right as Rayford was about to tell him to hang up, there was an answer on the other end.

“Y’ello?” The vaguely familiar voice asked over the phone. 

“Cal, it’s Daniel. From the other night.”

“Ohh yeah, car crash dude... You get off good or are you calling me to complain?” He let out a chuckle. “Or are you taking me up for that offer?”

“No, not that. I’m with the police right now and--”

“Woahhh would you look at the time! I gotta--”

“No not like that. I just need you to tell them what happened. Do you understand?”

“Ahhh, alright. I catch your drift. Put ‘em on. I got your back.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.” Daniel held the phone away from his face and towards Rayford who was the closest.

Rayford took it and put it to his ear, “Who’s this?”

“Cal.”

“Last name?”

“Oh come on, y’all don’t need that from me.”

“Actually we--”

“Listen chief, sheriff, whatever. He came into my shop last night, covered in blood. Busted up windshield, looked like a hot mess. I asked him what happened and he hit a deer. The blood was all his though, and I got a good look at the car while he was in the bathroom. Definitely a deer. Not a huge one, but enough to fuck up the glass. Despite the blood though, it didn’t seem that much of an emergency. And y’know, there’s not usually much deer around here but I had literally just seen a whole family of ‘em the night before he came in. And he drove quite a bit to get here, which isn’t uncommon either, especially at night. And--” His voice moved away from the speaker to yell at a customer, “Can you not jack off in the middle of the god damn fucking store? In bright daylight? Jesus fucking Christ dude, there’s a bathroom just down the hall.” 

Rayford looked over at Daniel with an uncomfortable expression.

Cal then continued raising his voice, “No! Don’t just hide behind the shelves! You know who I’m on the phone with right now? The fucking pigs themselves. Now quit that shit or else I’m telling them you’re the one who killed that dude. Jesus…”

“Are you done?” Rayford asked.

“What? Oh, yeah, sorry about that. Where was I?”

“Actually we’ve heard enough, thank you for your time.”

“No problem, tell Daniel he owes me one.” 

“What?”

“For talking to a cop. I didn’t lie. Just hate getting involved with you bastards.”

“Right. Well, thanks for talking.” Rayford said before hanging up. “He says you owe him.”

“Ugh.” Daniel groaned. 

David looked at Rayford, “Well?”

Rayford then looked back to Grayson, then back to David, “How’d the burn happen?”

“I was making popcorn, and he burnt himself on the stove top.”

All eyes went back to Grayson, since clearly his word mattered more than his subordinate. 

“Should we--” Rayford was cut off.

“Let them go.” Grayson said.

“What?” All three of them asked in bewildered unison. 

“The story adds up enough for me, and frankly, this seems more like a problem for the FBI considering the violence of the crime.”

“Are you serious, Gray? There’s only been one murder, the FBI isn’t going to come until it becomes one of those sequence killings.”

“Sequence?” David asked. 

“Serial killers. Someone who kills more than once.” Grayson explained. “The FBI is adopting the term. Not sure when the media will catch onto it.” He opened up a pack of cigarettes and lighter from his pockets, starting to smoke in the small closed off room. “I don’t doubt that it will become one of those, so I don’t think we should bother trying to do their job until they ask us to.”

Rayford furrowed his brows, “That’s ridiculous. Are you saying you really believe this guy?” He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the blonde.

“No, but I believe _him.”_ Grayson nodded towards David. 

Both of them looked towards him, both in surprise, even Daniel was amazed at how easily he was being let off the hook due to David’s defense. 

“Uhm, thank you, officer.” David said. 

“No repercussions then?” Daniel asked, getting out of his chair, looking ready to bolt.

“As long as you don’t give us a reason.” Said Grayson.

Rayford was absolutely incredulous, still staring at his partner like he had committed the crime himself. David and Daniel made a quick glance and Daniel made the way towards the exit, hinting for him to follow along. Daniel was in the hall by the time David was about to leave the room as well, but Grayson stopped him for a moment.

“Make sure you keep an eye on him.” Grayson warned. 

David simply nodded, thanking him again before chasing after the blonde who was waiting for him to catch up. 

“Thank you.” Daniel said as they walked. 

“No problem…” David replied. “Have you eaten? Do you want to go get something?”

“Ah, I would but I actually need to go study. Exam tomorrow, did Jasper not tell you?” He asked, holding the door open for David.

“No, tell me what?”

He followed David outside while explaining, “That I went home because of my exam. I didn’t want to leave but I knew it’d be easier for me to be responsible if I left while you were asleep, rather than try and leave the next day. I meant to leave a note on the table but I ran into Jasper as I was going out so...” He casually shrugged.

“Oh, he probably forgot.” David assumed.

_‘The sky could be falling and he’d have his gaze downwards tying his shoe.’_ Daniel thought. At least David’s lack of observation was favored on his part. 

David walked him to the car and got in, and Daniel hesitated, seeing a familiar jacket in the passenger seat. 

“What’s this?” Daniel asked.

“Oh yeah!” David exclaimed. “I forgot to give that back to you. Do you not remember what clothes you own?”

“Ah, I guess it’s just because I don’t wear it too often.” Daniel said, picking it up and getting in, keeping it on his lap. _‘Thank god the fabric is dark.’_

“Would you mind if I borrowed it again then? I mean, if that’s not weird. I’ve just seen girls wearing their boyfriend’s jackets and I’ve always wanted to do that, and obviously never have... It reminds me of you.” 

_‘The irony.’_ Daniel thought. “Well I mean, yeah that’s fine. Should I put it in the back?”

“Yeah, but I’ll force you to take it back eventually so it smells like you again, heads up.”

Daniel chuckled amusingly, “That’s fine too.” He tossed the jacket in the backseat.

David smiled back and finally started the car, knowing already to simply drop Daniel off at his own house. They made small talk on the drive, David staying focused on the road while Daniel’s gaze hardly moved from the marks on his neck. David must have not remembered, and must have rushed out of the house before even looking in the mirror before leaving to pick him up from the station. David didn’t notice until he parked to drop him off.

“Do I have something on me?” David asked, touching his skin. The split second he realized what Daniel was staring at was priceless. “Oh my god, I really walked in there like this?!” He adjusted the rear-view mirror downwards and pulled his shirt collar down, “Oh god, Daniel.”

“My bad.” Daniel said. 

“How am I going to walk into class like this?” David whined.

“Good thing turtlenecks are stylish.”

“It’s summer!”

“Fair point.”

David looked a bit longer, tracing the marks with his fingers before sitting back against his seat and sighing, “Well, when will I see you next?”

“I assume next weekend like the usual?”

David hummed, “Yeah, sounds good. Maybe we could go to the bowling alley on Friday.”

“You mean where Jasper works?”

“Yeah. I mean, if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure, that’s fine. I’ll pick you up around evening. I’ll call you later?”

David nodded as a reply and Daniel gave him a fast kiss, but before Daniel walked away from the car he stopped him. 

“Daniel?” 

“Yeah?”

He wasn’t sure what he was going to ask. Something about the interrogation. Something about where and what he was actually doing that night of the crash. But something told him to put it off, to keep quiet. 

“It’s nothing actually. Love you though!”

“I love you too.” Daniel smiled back at him before heading towards his driveway.

David watched him for a few spare seconds, watching his strides walk towards the plain house with no distinct features. All light colors that came off as quite dull, with white curtains drawn in every window. No sense of personality compared to his and Jasper’s old home, passed on from Jasper’s grandmother, filled with old memories and knick-knacks to match. Yet the one time David walked into that house, it was just as plain as the outside. Despite seeming new though, there was no doubt it felt a bit unnerving. Whether it was due to the unfamiliarity of it all, or something else, he wasn’t sure. But the chills traveled up his spine which urged him to snap out of his thoughts and leave.

  
  
  
  



	14. Bowling Pins and Needles

A few more phone calls here and there during the week held Daniel at bay until Friday evening. Between those phone calls, studying, and classes, he started volunteering at the local emergency hotline center again. He figured helping others might help him in some way, even though the problems were always completely different from his own. The people calling had difficult lives, or at least difficult emotions, or lack thereof. For him, his urge to end it all wasn’t derived from strong aspects, before he found meaning it was just from sheer boredom. There were times he thought of slitting his wrists with a shaving razor blade just to bring some excitement around. If he died, then the boredom would end. If he lived afterwards, it would give him a temporary rush, and a wild story to tell later on. Either way, it hadn’t come to that, because of the boy he was seeing tonight. 

During their last phone call, David had decided that he was just going to get a ride from Jasper to the bowling alley. He was there talking to Jasper at the counter, looking like a cheery high school girl and her crush on a minimum wage worker, thinking the job was proof to her parents that she was “responsible”. Daniel smiled though knowing it was the other way around in this case, David had no clue that Jasper was still making advances. Daniel did need to think about getting back into the workforce himself though, so instead of relying on Jasper for his needs, David could come live with him. Before David he planned on just getting his law school degree and becoming a lawyer, considering he already spent four years getting his bachelor’s back in his home state. He already got payments from his parents each month for groceries and such. But a part time job could help for the meantime, he thought. He’d consider it.

He made his way towards them and tapped the counter with his knuckles, the same beginning five note riff, except this time he left out the “two bits” for one of them to finish. Luckily David caught on and tapped the surface twice as a response, grinning like an idiot before greeting him.

“Hey!” 

“Hey love,” Daniel replied, looking to Jasper, “Hey second love.”

“Piss off, I’m not your date.” Jasper snapped bitterly. 

“Ah, that's right, third wheel.” 

David simply laughed, ignoring the laced hostility, “Did you get here safely?”

“Yeah,” Jasper cut in, “Hit any more ‘deer’?”

“Not this time. Some traffic but not that big of a deal.”

“Do you want a drink? Or we can order something like pizza.” David said. 

“I’m alright for now. I’m ready to kick your ass in bowling.” Daniel cracked his knuckles. 

Jasper lifted his eyebrows, then looked to David, “You haven’t told him yet, have you?” 

“Told me what?”

“He’ll show you.”

David continued grinning, almost mischievously, “Get your shoes on, I already have mine. Last lane, I’ll let you go first.” He winked and practically skipped off to the tenth lane all the way at the end of the large room.

Daniel did as such, renting his shoes and meeting David at the final lane, sitting down to tie his laces while David stretched as if he were about to run a professional marathon. David even had his ball picked out as it was in the ball return waiting to be used, a dark green bowling ball that weighed twelve pounds. Daniel picked out his own at the back of the room, grabbing a dark purple one that weighed fifteen pounds. When picking it up he immediately thought of how nice it would be to smash it against someone’s head, how fatal it could be. He held it, mesmerized for a split second in its shiny surface, before David brought him back with his impatient voice.

“Let’s go slowpoke!” 

Daniel turned around, “You sure you want me to go first?”

“I’ll give you beginner's luck.”

“I don’t think I’ll be needing that. If I can beat you at roller skating I’m sure I can beat you in this as well.” He said, walking back over to find his name already on the paper next to David’s.

“Roller skating isn’t a competition, first off. Secondly, you have no clue what you’re up against.”

“Uh huh, care for a bet then?”

“Absolutely. But here’s the deal, we don’t reveal our bets until _after_ we find out who wins. It’ll make it more interesting.”

“Deal. Hope you’re ready for a sore loss.” Daniel smirked, stepping up to the bat, well, lane in this case. First shot wasn’t bad, nine out of ten. 

David nodded, impressed, but his own confidence hadn’t yet faltered. His turn he didn’t miss _any_ of the pins, a full-on strike that Daniel didn’t expect. With the smug aura that was unfamiliar with David’s general atmosphere, he should have expected David to be good at it. But still, Daniel expected him to be good, but not an expert. Daniel was still a bit caught up in his own ego at first, playing it off as the same beginner’s luck that David claimed to have given up for his own play, but soon enough found out that David just really _was_ as skilled at the game as Jasper hinted. 

Speaking of Jasper, the male was busy most of the night, working more as a waiter rather than his actual job which involved dealing with payment and shoe rental. Most of the players there were in for the entire night so Jasper had to move on from just standing behind the counter to doing other things so he wouldn’t get yelled at for ‘standing around’. Occasionally he’d check on them, walking by to check the scores before making some remark over the obvious difference in points, while also pandering to David with a ‘good job’, like a proud parent or coach. One of those times passing by, Jasper made a remark towards Daniel though that was too condescending for him to simply brush off.

David was up for his turn while Daniel stayed back as Jasper checked the current scores.

“Man, he’s really kicking your ass, huh? Don’t worry though man, I’m sure you’ll learn a thing or two from him.” Jasper said.

David cheered in the background, earning himself another strike.

Daniel spoke up, “Well I might not make as many strikes in bowling, but at least I don’t strike out with relationships, huh?” His eyes directed towards Jasper in a glaring manner, despite his smile. 

Jasper gave a shocked look, then a similar glare, not even saying a word before rolling his eyes and fucking off back to his job. Daniel watched him leave right as David came back.

“Was that the last round?” David asked, followed by two other bombarding questions straight after, “Should we play another? How about we ask if Jasper can take a break and join in?” 

“You’re clearly not going to go easy on me if we play again, I know better now.” Daniel said, looking at the paper, taking the attention away from the name ‘Jasper’. “Shit, I think this is the first time anyone’s ever beaten me in bowling. Or like, anything.”

“Guess I just have a knack for it. Wish I could apply it to roller skating, or school, or literally anything else that could help me out in life.”

“People make money off of bowling, you know.”

“I know, Jasper says the same thing. I’m good but not _that_ good. I’d totally lose my cool in that kind of setting. Anyways, you up for more or are you done losing?”

Daniel sighed, “I think I’m done for now at least.”

“Okay. Well, want to know what my end of the deal was?”

“Hit me with it. What do I have to do?”

David smiled and leaned in to whisper it, “I’d like to do it again. But this time, my rules.” He leaned away to speak normally again, soft enough to not be heard by anyone passing by but loud enough for Daniel to hear, “And I don’t mean that as in, I want to top or anything. I just want it to be softer…” 

_‘The sex or my dick?’_ Daniel thought, but instead of saying it he just nodded away.

David had his arms crossed, but not in a relaxed manner, looking away before looking back towards the blonde. “So what was yours?”

Daniel wasn’t sure how to give his answer after that, considering what he had in mind was almost the same, except also the complete opposite. Sex again, yeah, but definitely not softcore. He wanted to try something harder, but he wasn’t going to admit that after David’s small confession. 

“You’ll just have to find out our next bet.” He said simply.

“Better hope our next bet isn’t over bowling again then.” David teased. “Still though, it’s a bit early, is there anything else you want to do?”

Daniel didn’t want to flat-out admit that David had totally killed his mood to socialize, or go have _(soft)_ sex. He wanted to stay with him but the frustration levels were elevating again, causing him to tense up. If he wasn’t careful, at times he’d find his limbs falling asleep, getting that stinging, stabbing sensation from the prolonged pressure of clenching his fists, or even his jaw when it got really bad. It felt like needles lightly pricking his hands. To avoid it temporarily, he had to keep active. It was like a weird stress similar to anxiety that showed itself through foot tapping and random flicks from his fingers. He needed to go relieve the pressure, so he decided to come up with an excuse instead.

“I’m sorry, I should have planned this out better. I didn’t get much sleep last night, I have to admit. I won’t be much fun if I stay longer…”

“Would you want to have a sleepover or something? If not, I understand, but even if you just decide to sleep I wouldn’t mind still being able to be with you. I like your presence.”

Daniel sat up and kissed him, “I enjoy yours too… But I think it’ll be better if we just hang out tomorrow, maybe have a proper sleepover. One where we can actually hang out all night.”

“Oh, okay.” David tried to hide the disappointment in his voice with a smile. “I love you.”

“I love you too. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

David nodded before Daniel left to return the rented shoes and head outside to have a mandatory smoke. 

  
  
  
  
  



	15. SILDE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ✰ If you don't have it on already, please turn on Creator's Style!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love how it’s raining tonight as I post this ahhh. Also, fun drinking game idea, take a shot every time Daniel talks to himself internally in this fic 💀 (I swear I feel like I’ve made him think ‘fuck’ to himself so many times, especially with chapters I haven’t posted yet.) Or make it more fun by adding in any time Jasper glares or David excuses Daniel’s creepy behavior 😭//jk I don’t condone alcoholism! lmao anyways... Hope y’all enjoy this one!!

He went outside to smoke, something he only just picked up within the week. He had never smoked a cigarette in his entire life up until that past Sunday night after his little breakthrough. He took out the pack of Marlboros in his jacket pocket followed by the silver lighter he bought the week before to smoke while thinking back on his planning.

  
  


_That Sunday night after the interrogation he was in bed, struggling to get his eyes to shut and stay closed. His impulses should have been gone by now, they should have eased. He finally hit it off with David and even had his one-time sexual taboo experience out of the way. Or at least, it should have been, but it obviously wasn’t. His urges remained and he craved another kill; accidental or not. The gratification was simply so much greater with violence._

_After some time it became clear that he needed to feel it again. He could get away with it too, as long as he planned it out instead of carelessly acting on impulse alone._

_Planning. Where to start? Writing it down on paper seemed like a horrible idea, but so did getting caught. Relying on memory alone could end up being his downfall. Well, maybe he could break it down into simple categories first, a blueprint easy enough for a child to remember. A demented one, at least._

  * _Seek out an isolated victim._



_Obviously. There is no killer without a kill-ee. Also, emphasis on ‘isolated’. No need to exert yourself on the zero-gratification instant discards._

  * _Fatal blow. Or at the very least, hard enough to cause unconsciousness._



_(Your weapon of choice.)_

  * _Travel to a desolate location._



_Might have to put some more thought into this one._

  * _The climax._



_Pretty self-explanatory. If the victim is still alive, secure them in place. After that, time for the real fun to begin._

  * _Clean-up._



_The less fun part. Remember to be thorough. Cops might be lazy but once everyone catches on, then it’s dealing with the FBI. Those guys aren’t as heedless._

  
  


_That should have been it though. Still too wordy however._

_He sat up in bed, struck with an idea that may be either the dumbest thing he ever came up with, or a pretty clever one. He got up and went downstairs, straight to the kitchen to dig through the junk drawer. In the very back, he found what he was looking for: a bag of colored alphabetical fridge magnets. He wasn’t the one who bought them, they came with the house. Most of the house was already furnished when he moved in, including the refrigerator with brightly multi-colored letters on the white door which he ended up taking down within the first week of moving in, hiding them in the junk drawer to collect dust until that moment. Taking the bag and standing in front of the fridge, he went over the steps again, thinking of how to abbreviate them._

_ First he grabbed a red ‘ **S** ’ for ‘seek’ on there, followed by the rest. _

_ A yellow ‘ **I** ’ for ‘incapacitate’. _

_ Purple ‘ **L** ’ for ‘location’. _

_ Light green ‘ **D** ’ for ‘desecrate’. _

_ And finally, a blue ‘ **E** ’ for ‘erasure’. _

_ He took a single step back and looked at the acronym, ‘ **S** **I** **L** **D** **E** ’. _

_The words he chose weren’t the easiest to remember for most people, but he guessed it would work for himself since that was what mattered. Even if it didn’t seem like much, it was something simple he could fall back on just in case he got the order mixed up, even if he doubted that it would ever happen. He’d put more thoughts on details for each individual victim, like a custom commission. After all, he needed to put more diversity in his killings to avoid getting caught. Location and eliminating evidence being the most important factors. ___

____

____

_He’d think about it later. He needed to go back to bed..._

____

____

_After a quick smoke._

____

  
  


____

The cigarette was at its end, getting too short that it was close to burning his fingers. A young man passed by him as he threw it to the ground and crushed it with his shoe. The last bit of remaining smoke blew past his lips as his eyes followed the man’s direction. The guy had just separated from a group of friends that had exited the bowling alley, the friends walking to the left while he went to the right to his own car in the back corner of the parking lot. He was isolated, and what would you know, his hair was almost a shade of auburn. Not as red as David’s, but enough that it wouldn’t matter on a dark night like that one.

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** SEEK. **

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Daniel’s foot moved off the cigarette and before he could even process his own movements he was making long strides in the general direction of the stranger going to his car. The man stopped after hearing the footsteps upon the gravel coming towards him, turning around.

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“Hey man, can I help you?” He asked.

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Daniel stopped once he was close enough, “Uh, yeah…” He made sure to check their surroundings, making sure the parking lot was now devoid of people, and to his luck it was. “I’m having car problems?” He didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, he quickly tried covering it up. “It’s a rental, I’ve never had a Volkswagen before. And you know, with the whole engine in the back of the vehicle, it’s a bit more complicated.” _‘God, that’s an awful excuse.’_

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“Oh, my dad has a Volkswagen. I can go look at it for you if you’d like?” He offered.

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“Really? Thank you. God, I was about to go in and ask again but the asshole at the counter told me to wait, even though I’ve been waiting almost a half hour already. I’m kind of in a rush though, didn’t mean to be out this late.”

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“Nah, I get it, man. Just show me where you’re parked. Name’s John by the way.” He shook hands with him.

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_‘My own John Doe. How classic.’_

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“Daniel. Here, my car is just over on the other side of the lot.” He guided the man away from his own car to the Beetle, getting there only to do another perimeter check, making sure no one was pulling in to bowl some pins or leaving from just doing so. Luckily he knew David was staying there till Jasper’s shift ended, so he didn’t expect either of them to come outside until much later after he was gone. 

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He let the guy look at the back of the car where the engine was, coming up with a weapon to use to go with step two. Step one of seeking the victim was over with, done. But because it was another compulsive kill, he didn’t think of how to incapacitate his victim. He needed to start keeping something in his car for emergencies, a tool that wouldn’t look out of the ordinary. For now he’d have to use his bare hands and his surroundings. First he needed a better angle due to the open engine compartment.

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He needed to let the man’s guard down so he started up some small talk casually, “So, what do you do for a living? Are you a mechanic?”

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“Ah, definitely not. I’m a musician.”

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“Oh no way. Let me guess, guitar?”

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“Yeah, but I’m also a singer. We haven’t come up with a band name yet but the plan is to put out some progressive rock albums. Harder instrumentals, softer vocals. Y’know?”

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“Sounds good. I can enjoy a good rock album every now and then.”

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“I think everyone could if they opened up to it. What about you?”

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“Fixing to be a lawyer.”

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“Shit man, that’s a lot of schooling. I could never.”

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“Tell me about it. I’ve done four years and I just started actual law school.”

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There was a silence as the guy studied the engine more, humming curiously since he couldn’t point out any visible problems with it. Daniel took it as the time to move to the next stage.

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** INCAPACITATE. **

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“Hey, could you look at this as well?” Daniel asked, moving towards the front of the car, pretending he spotted something near the front wheel.

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“Uh yeah, something up?” He said, moving over to check what Daniel was referring to now.

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The man rubbed his hands against his red plaid shirt to get rid of the bit of grime left from the engine, stepping towards Daniel. Before he could kneel down to check where Daniel was staring, the blonde grabbed the back of his head, gripping his hair down to its roots to slam his skull against the front hood of the car. He expected him to fall to the concrete, unconscious from the force, however the man groaned in pain. 

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“Fuck.” Daniel said, trying to come up with an instant solution. He didn’t want him dead already, but he fucked up, so it was either that or run. _‘No, you can’t do that. He knows who you are now.’_

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He had to kill him. 

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He dropped down to the injured victim, pushing against his shoulder to knock his back flat against the concrete, stepping over him to choke him out. There was blood on his forehead from the hit, his eyes squinted in pain, his expression one of confusion, like he was wondering where he had crossed paths with Daniel to deserve his hostility. Daniel gritted his teeth, focused on finishing the task at hand rather than trying to understand the emotions behind the man underneath him. If anything, he was more focused on his own feelings, which mainly involved the rush of power that drowned out the rest, such as the panic he was experiencing just seconds before. It was all washed away now, just leaving the ecstasy of confidence, like nothing on Earth could control him.

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And then it was gone.

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As fast as it came, it dissipated. He held his hands there, still pressing into the neck of the now-deceased. He wanted to continue feeling that strong pulse beat under his thumbs, the erratic shorts of breath and the muscles convulsing within his victim’s arms as they struggled to function, to reach up and stop the asphyxiation. Despite the lack of life, he kept the pressure until his fingers started to ache. Once they lifted, he saw the bright marks that were left, almost as brilliant as blood itself despite not breaking the skin. It was sure to start turning into darker shades of purple soon.

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He picked himself up off the ground, turning around to see if anyone exited the building since the act. Still no one. He opened the backdoor of the car and hauled the body in, crawling in halfway to adjust its limbs so it didn’t seem dead but rather asleep. He rubbed the blood off the forehead as much as he could. All of this done just in case he happened to be stopped, then he could make the quick excuse that his friend had simply passed out after too many drinks. He’d shove it in the trunk like before but he wasn’t ready to have another “incident”. He’d have to think of a system that would work for that, something similar to leaving your car keys with something you want to remember. Except, he wasn’t going to use those. Maybe his wallet? Eh, he’d think of something later.

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For now the backseat should have been fine. He didn’t plan on making this a prolonged session. Although, he broke one of his own rules. He attacked on impulse, not giving himself the proper time to come up with a location, accessories, and a way to clean up afterwards. He slammed the door shut, followed by closing the engine compartment in the back. He started the car and got on the road, hoping he’d come up with a destination that would work out. 

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** LOCATION.**

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He figured this time he’d try out an abandoned building rather than a parking lot. It’d give him guaranteed privacy on a busy night, considering how early it still was. Although he didn’t remember the street name, he knew exactly where he was going. Not that far from the bowling alley actually, about fifteen minutes if he were to guess. It was also right next to a bridge and a river, one that would come in handy for later.

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Pulling up to the building, he couldn’t make out any signs of life. Worst case scenario would be running into a homeless person taking shelter inside, or a few teenagers with nothing better to do on a weekend night. Doubtful of that, he got out of the car and checked it out. Graffiti, trash, and random pieces of broken furniture were all that seemed to occupy the space. Things anyone would expect from a vacant structure that had been left alone for a couple months, especially one that had no plans of being refurbished anytime soon. It would do, he decided.

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On his way back to his car, he noticed the clouds had rolled in, and a light drizzle of rain had begun to fall. He quickly muttered _‘shit’ _under his breath, hurrying to open the back door of the vehicle and lugging the body out. He lifted under its arms, pulling it backwards until the heels touched the concrete. He adjusted so it was held like a bride on her wedding day, rather than how he treated the first body he encountered that he loosely dragged against the road like a heavy bag of trash rather than a delicacy.__

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He kicked the car door shut and quickened his pace as the rain fell harder. He didn’t expect it to last long due to it not being wet season. When he moved to California he noticed February was the rainiest month, opposite of his home state. He missed being back at home in the Midwest. It was so much different than the liveliness of Los Angeles. Although there was a perk to the crowded population. There were plenty more victims, and plenty more suspects, leaving many more possibilities for his specific interest.

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After they were both saved from the rain, he put the body down carefully. He patted the pockets down to find the wallet, taking the ID out and putting it in his own wallet like he did with his first. Without the broken windows leaking in light from the outside lamp posts it would have been pitch black. His guess was that it used to be a doctor’s office complex due to the multiple floors and the receptionist desk. Checking the upper floors was probably a good idea, not just to double check on if he was alone or not, but there could have been leftover items he could use. While considering it, he noticed how quiet it was in there. Besides the pattering of the rain and his own feet shuffling against the ground, it was quite serene. Then he squinted, he was standing still.

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Those weren’t his footsteps.

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He turned around and dodged the attack coincidentally, but then stumbling, almost falling on his ass. The motherfucker he hauled in wasn’t even dead.

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_‘I really need to start double-checking, huh?’_ He thought jokingly despite it not being the time nor place. 

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The man was slightly hunched over holding a thick piece of wood, most likely a broken chair leg. He started coughing violently, probably had it held in as he was attempting stealth, but now that it was blown he was letting it all out. The marks on his neck were so visible that Daniel could make them out even in the darkness. As he was having his coughing fit, Daniel’s eyes moved off the neck and to the rest of the room for a weapon. Except the man noticed immediately when Daniel’s gaze moved off of him, and stopped his fit to advance again in another attack. 

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His movements were delayed, enough that Daniel’s confidence seeped back into his form when he witnessed firsthand how slow his opponent was. A smile actually crept up on his face when the reassurance hit; that he wasn’t the victim, that he was in control of the situation. He easily dodged again, and instead of frantically searching for something to use to protect himself or fight back, he watched the man’s struggle to gain more strength to strike again. He panted wheezily like a broken vacuum at first, then it turned into another rough set of coughs that ended in a low steady groan. 

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“Man, so much for that singing career.” Daniel teased.

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Saying that got a fervent glare towards him, similar to the ones Jasper always threw his way when David wasn’t paying attention. Daniel’s grin only grew when the reflective eyes got closer. He knew it was time to move again and went for his left, spinning on his heel to stand by as a witness once more. Despite the rage sparked by Daniel’s snide comment, it was obvious to both of them that this was going to end in one way due to Daniel’s previous actions. He already had the upper hand right from the start with the element of surprise in the bowling alley parking lot, and because of that, now he even had the advantage of being able bodied against an opponent who was facing death’s door. Anger wasn’t enough, at least not for much longer. 

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A few more swings followed by more swift dodges and the man was on the floor again, conscious but nearing the familiar state of absence. He gave up, his face against the floor loudly panting against the cold rough concrete. To him it was the loudest thing in the room, and not even the thunder outside distracted him from hearing his own final moments of life begin to fade.

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A forceful kick to his stomach rolled him onto his back and he gave a painful yell, but it sounded more like a cry. Daniel was above him, shouting words with a hint of a smile despite the sudden frustration in his eyes. He couldn’t even make out the sentences due to the tiredness that took hold. Whether or not it was real exhaustion or finally his body giving up on him, he wasn’t sure. Another kick at his side made him wince but felt somehow duller than the first. His eyes were heavy and stinging, similar to the feeling in his throat and chest. A knot in his stomach made it feel like he was going to throw up, if he even had the energy, which he didn’t. God, he really just felt tired though. 

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Daniel continued speaking words of which were not understood by the person they were directed towards, “Did you hear me? Keep your eyes open. I can’t have you dying yet.” He gave another swift kick which resulted in a small grunt and a weak gaze up at him. “I haven’t even done anything to you and here you are acting like you’re about to die.” He kept monologuing, stepping away from the figure to look around some more, his voice suddenly switching to a more understanding tone, “Must be from the adrenaline rush… Imagine having to drive after it. It’s definitely not ideal… And to think I’ll have to do that after we’re done here. Not looking forward to that part of our date.” 

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A sound came out of the poor man on the ground, a sharp breath that turned into the weakest laugh Daniel ever heard, accompanied by more coughs and a drawn out wheeze.

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“See? Doesn’t hurt to take a joke.” Daniel stated. He clicked his tongue in thought, “Now what am I going to do?” He gave a light laugh himself, “This is sort of my first time.” 

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The gaze on the floor looked up at him.

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“You know what I mean. Sorta though, the first one was an accident at first. Hit him with my car, thinking he was dead. Took advantage. Then he just about bit my cock off.”

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He must have been too tired to try and laugh again, just a huff through his nose before closing his eyes. Although Daniel knew he was still listening, his chest rising and falling more calmly now as he listened to the blonde narrate.

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“I ended up killing him with a stone. Not to the head like you’d assume, to the neck. Longer death, drawn out… Hope he didn’t aspire to be a singer either.”

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More silence, not even a loud breath.

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Daniel went on, “I’ve had a few fantasies. Wet dreams you could say… It didn’t start as a child, which is weird. Everyone seems to think people are born evil. Hell, I wouldn’t even consider myself pure evil. There’s always someone worse out there. Someone who wouldn’t even think to give you the mercy of death afterwards. It may take awhile, but you’ll die eventually. After all you’re not my prime obsession, simply a coping mechanism for what I’m really after… I mean yeah, he’s mine. I technically own him now. But not in the way that I want. You see, I have to keep a cover, I can’t tell him this. Can’t even see a damn counselor about this. That’s why--”

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A raspy voice interrupted him, “Let me--...” He stopped to breathe, the simple act of using his voice felt overbearing, like he had only one lung working. “Let me get this straight…” Another pause. “You… You did all this… To talk?”

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Daniel laughed, “Have you not been listening? Or was I being too vague? Also, don’t interrupt. I wouldn’t want to have to rip out that voice box of yours so soon. I’m glad it still works though, last one didn’t use his too much. Disappointing to say the least... But you like to use your voice. I chose well.”

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Finally, an actual laugh escaped him, even more coughs after, but then his words dripped an expected dose of confidence and sequence without as many pauses, “If you want me to… Scream… Why don’t you just rape me then? Faggot.” He looked up at him, an toothy smirk. 

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Daniel blinked, surprised at first before grinning, “You really don’t listen well, do you? Of course I’m already going to do that. Well, I did plan on killing you first, giving you the humane option to opt out… But you just _had_ to survive it on your own unlucky behalf… Part of it might be my fault for still assuming that everyone’s weakness is at the same level when it’s not. For example, hitting a child or senior at forty five miles per hour isn’t the same as the man I hit. There was still quite a large percent of him surviving that, which he did. And you, if you were fifty years older or ten years younger, I doubt you would have simply gone unconscious. I don’t know why I do it. You all just seem so weak and unaware… We’ve all become sort of sheltered in this day and age.”

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“Are you done yet?”

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Daniel sighed with a tsk followed after, kneeling down closer to his level, “I’m surprised you _don’t_ want me to keep stalling. Considering this really isn’t going to be pleasant for you. But I guess others would just like to rip off the band-aid ASAP... Understandable I suppose… Yet I’m still not sure what I want to do with you exactly.” He reached out to caress the face of the victim who gave him a disgusted expression before jerking his head away. “It’s so hard when you’re put on the spot, but not enough to go on pure instinct.” 

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He hummed and got back up. Instead of just skimming the room with his eyes, he started shifting objects around to look underneath and behind. Then there was a shine from the room over that caught his attention. He gave a glance at the man who had his eyes shut again. He wouldn’t be a threat if he was only left alone for a few seconds. 

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A piece of broken glass, no, it was a mirror he realized. There were smaller fragments but he took the main one that was the size of his hand. Picking it up carefully, he took it back into the other room and got back down on the floor. The man looked up, not noticing what he held. Daniel suddenly flipped him over on his stomach and he fought again. Daniel held his back down and then sat on top of him.

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“Stay the fuck still!” Daniel shouted in frustration. He pulled on the man’s hair to lift his head up and then brought the mirror fragment to the front of his neck threatening him, “Don’t move.”

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“Go ahead. Slit my throat.”

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“Actually, I was going to leave a puncture, so you’ll bleed out slower.” Before a response could be made he positioned himself off and immediately slashed through one of his thighs, tearing past the jeans and slicing into the skin. The man screamed as Daniel did it again, deeper this time to cut the muscle fibers. He did it with the other leg as well, more blood curdling screams echoing through the stripped building. It was beautiful in a way, how the echoes bounced off like the acoustics of an opera theater. 

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The thrashing stopped in the man’s lower body as he was physically unable to move them, so only his upper half convulsed as he swung himself around with arms smashing against the ground, crying and screaming like a child. 

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“Hamstringing is what they call it!” Daniel spoke loudly above the wails as if it was a loud motor in a tight spaced garage, “Well, when I first read about it, they called it houghing. In the bible they did it to chariot horses for their own good. To keep them from being used for war. I’ve always wanted to try it out on a person!” He grinned while looking at the blood that leaked out of the thin lines in the blue denim that revealed ripped muscles underneath.

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The screaming died down but the crying persisted, only quieter. Daniel shushed him soothingly like a mother. 

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“I don’t think you’ll die _too_ quickly. Depends how fast you’ll bleed out I think… I tried not to go too deep. But ah well, I’ll shut up for now.”

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** DESECRATE. **

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And with that he stopped speaking to hear the pained sounds as he forced the man’s jeans down past his ass. He stuck his ring and middle fingers into his own mouth, slicking them with saliva and fingering the victim beneath. Second time around he stuck his fingers into the man’s mouth, leaning against his body and whispering, _‘don’t bite’_ as he felt around inside. He took them out to move his hand back down again, lubricating for his own benefit. He tried to move quickly, knowing that time was of essence. 

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He unzipped his own pants and pulled his cock through the hole and stroked himself off enough to be able to penetrate. When he did he got a few more physical struggles that died down due to loss of ambition. Without being able to run, or even walk or stand, there was no way out of this one. Daniel had him paralyzed, fucking into him with jerking hips against his ass to slam his entire length inside. Daniel’s grunting only ceased for a single moment as he spoke in his ear,

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“Frontman raped by faggot before bleeding out… Seems like a decent news headline to me. Maybe then your band will finally be known. It’s a win-win situation.”

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He was back to being mute, despite no further damage done to his neck. His anger was smothered by utter humiliation instead. _‘What a way to die’,_ he thought bitterly. At least he knew it’d be over soon.

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Yet ‘soon’ wasn’t as quick as he expected. ‘Soon’ meant at least an hour rather than minutes. Him being sexually assaulted didn’t last as long but he was praying that he’d be straight-up dead before the climax. It felt repulsive and dragged out for spite. Daniel actually left him alone just for extra torment before finally stomping on him, causing blows to his internal organs, rib cage, and finally his skull, specifically his jaw. Daniel wasn’t sure what killed him since he continued damaging the body long after it was deceased. He eventually knew for sure since no one of any age could survive the amount of impairment, so he stopped to search upstairs for leftover implements. Unsurprisingly mostly everything had been moved out besides furniture, but he did find a dusty surgical knife which he took, everything else he found wasn’t needed.

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The cadaver was mutilated enough that recognition was impossible. Smashed nose, stabbed eyes, and sliced up skin that he messily peeled bits off. The knife was incredibly clean cut despite his sloppy handiwork, and using it made him think of how he should have been a surgeon rather than a lawyer. He experimented further with it by dissecting the abdomen, pulling out the guts onto the floor. Yet his choice in castrating the corpse was only out of post-retaliation for the distasteful slur thrown at him. He crushed the severed genitals under his shoe but didn’t bother to move them along with the body itself. He knew it didn’t matter but he still had that urge to assert any dominance he could before the last step. 

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** ERASURE. **

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He took a short stroll, hauling the body by an arm to the river. It wasn’t too long of a walk and the rain had almost stopped by completely by then. However the water surged after the downpour, pulling the body along its current faster than it would on an average night. Watching it float along as it was carried down the stream only made him think of one thing.

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He wanted to go back home and take a relaxing hot shower.

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	16. Sleepover

Daniel didn’t quite feel like it but he owed it to David to have another sleepover. He chose to have it at his house this time however, the comfort of his own home being more appealing that specific night. David came over before sunset with a small backpack like a grade-schooler, holding onto the straps and beaming as if he was going on a field trip. He set his bag down in the living room, which was the first time he really got to check out the house other than the hallway and kitchen. It was pretty bland, more than the average interior of a hotel. It was cleaner than one too, despite all the white and beige decor that was prone to stains. 

He almost took a seat on the leather couch but noticed the record player over by the TV which sparked the question, “Where’s your collection?”

“Inside that drawer. You want anything?” Daniel asked. “I went to the store today.”

“I don’t think I should have anything in here. I’ll spill it.”

“It’s no big deal. I never get guests so…”

“Got any root beer?”

“Yeah actually, want it in the bottle or a glass?”

“Bottle is fine.”

Daniel went to go get the drink for him while he knelt down next to the wide TV stand that also held the record player. He slid the wooden door and there was a small set of vinyls inside and started looking at Daniel’s taste.

Daniel handed him the bottle and David took it, asking another question, “Your taste is a bit…”

“Not what you expected?”

“Well I definitely expected Beethoven, and Frank Sinatra doesn’t seem too far off. Cab Calloway I didn’t see coming… But you’ve got a lot of pop. I mean, I didn’t expect you to be a fan of The Cowsills.” David smiled up at him.

“My collection back home is wider. But it’s a lot more Christian gospel than I’d like to admit. My dad insisted I share a collection with him so he can throw out the ‘ungodly’ picks.”

“So are these your unholy favorites then?”

“Well they’re definitely some favorites, and some that are new I’ve gotten after the move.”

David pulled one out, “Yeah, I’d be extremely surprised if your dad considered Keith Green ungodly.”

Daniel laughed, “Yeah, no. That one’s definitely his influence.”

David put it back, “I’m just surprised you don’t have much hard rock. I mean, you definitely come off as a classical music kind of guy, but I also expected a bit more of…”

Daniel smiled, waiting for him to come up with the right word instead of trying to predict it himself by helping.

David looked up at him with an awkward smile back, “Passion?”

“Awh what? You don’t think Keith Green’s love for god is passionate enough?”

“That is not what I meant and you know it!” David grinned. 

“No, I get it. I do enjoy hard rock, a lot. Just don’t own a lot of it yet. It was the one genre my dad couldn’t stand so I tried to steer away from it.”

“I see. Jasper loves rock. He tries to get me to go to concerts and stuff with him but they’re too loud. He got personally offended when I denied going to a Led Zeppelin concert with him.”

Daniel hummed in agreement.

“So, who’s your favorite artist then?” David asked. “I think I can guess.”

“Alright, go for it.”

“Sinatra…”

“Hmm, close. Neil Diamond.”

“Really?”

“Well, his voice is nice.”

“Okay yeah, I can’t deny that at all. But most of what I’ve heard from him is… Kind of boring. No offense!”

“None taken. I agree though, I only chose him for his voice alone, and a few hits. I think _Sweet Caroline_ is his best album.”

“I wouldn’t call that your favorite then... Let me rephrase the question, if you had to give up everything besides one artist, who would it be?”

“Sheesh, that really adds pressure. Let me think about it.” Daniel sat down on the floor next to him, looking at his own collection. “Would it be too cliché of me to say The Beatles?”

“I mean, yeah, but they’re still good.”

“If not them, maybe… I need more time to think.”

“Would it help if I tell you mine?”

“It better not be The Beatles.”

David laughed, “No, worse…”

“I hope you don’t say David Bowie.”

“What? You don’t like him?” David asked, surprised.

“Nope. I don’t like his voice.”

“Huh. That’s a first. He’s not my favorite though so don’t worry… Bay City Rollers.”

“That’s acceptable. Not as cliché as I assumed.”

“Right, but usually not someone’s ultimate favorite. I don’t know, I just really like their discography? They’re fun to dance to.”

“You sure it’s not for their looks?”

David sounded disgusted, “What?! No! God, no. Just for the music.”

“Same with me and Neil Diamond. His voice, excellent. But my attraction to him? Not my type at all.”

“What’s your type then?” 

“You, obviously.”

“Elaborate.”

“Should I just start naming off every physical feature of yours? And your personality? Because I can.”

“That’s not necessary. But I’m flattered…” David closed his eyes for a moment and squinted with a painful smile, “God, please never say that I’m attracted to them again.” He looked at him grinning, “Have you seen their hair?”

“Yeah, I get the whole movement, but it’s just… Not a look.”

“It is on some guys. I think it’s just the whole poof.” He put his hands above his head to make the gesture, “You know.” He put his hands back down, “It looks awful.”

“It’s not going to age well.”

David shook his head, “I hope it doesn’t. But y’know,” He looked at Daniel and brushed a hand through his hair, “You could rock it.”

“If that’s a suggestion, I’m going to have to blatantly tell you no.” 

“Just don’t do the poof thing. Keep it flat.”

Daniel stretched and gave a short ‘nah’.

“For someone who likes The Cowsills, you’re not living up to the number one fan title then, huh?” 

“Guess not.” Daniel then leaned against the coffee table behind them, stretching his legs out, “What other artists?”

“So many… Fleetwood Mac…”

“Good one.”

“Stevie Wonder… Earth, Wind & Fire… The Beach Boys… The Jackson 5… Usually anything feel-good. Oh, Elton John too.”

“Me too. But I like stuff I can study to as well, nice voices. Donovan, Frankie Valli, Elvis…”

“No David Bowie…”

Daniel chuckled and repeated it, “No Bowie.”

David finally took a sip of the root beer and asked, “Top favorite song?”

“I already struggled with favorite artist, now you’ve hit me with a harder ques--” He stopped and immediately gave his answer, “‘I Think I Love You’.”

“What?”

“The song. You ever watch _The Partridge Family?”_

“I know of it.”

“Based off of The Cowsills?”

David nodded, “Don’t remember the song though.”

“I’ll have to show it sometime, or sing it for you. But it wasn’t my real answer. First thing that popped up. I really do love ‘Hair’, but, it’d be ironic after what we just discussed. ‘Sweet Caroline’ is also a classic… ‘Moody River’ by Pat Boone comes to mind as well, but it’s my father’s favorite. Wait, no, I got it… ‘Can’t Take My Eyes off You’, Frankie Vallie…”

“I don’t know the river one.”

“It’s good, depressing though.” 

“Well, if I have to choose something that isn’t Bay City Rollers then my first choice would be ‘Lake Shore Drive’.” David said easily.

Daniel stopped, “... God dammit, okay, mine too.” Daniel sighed before breaking into another smile.

“It’s the best for road trips. I always keep the cassette in my car. I always play it when I’m driving up north.”

“Do you know when you’re going back up there?”

“I’m not sure. Summer is the best time, but I doubt we’ll go this year. Do you plan on visiting Indiana again soon?”

“Not in my schedule, but you never know.”

The conversation hit a pause and David went back to looking for a vinyl to break the silence. Except music didn’t break the quietness first, instead the phone ringing broke it. Daniel went to the kitchen out of habit to answer in there, rather than use the new one by the couch. He picked it up and answered, 

“Hello?”

“Daaaan the maan. Look, dude, you’ve thought about the offer?”

If the voice didn’t give it away, his choice of words did.

_‘Cal…’_

“Uh, yeah, I have. Now really isn’t the time though.”

“The fuzz didn’t end up wiretapping your line, did they? Hold on, move your phone away for a sec.”

“No, they--”

Cal screamed into the phone, “SUCK MY FUCKING DICK!” 

He broke out into laughter and Daniel sighed, physically pinching the bridge of his nose.

“What are you? Thirteen? No, they didn’t.”

“I work at a porn shop, what the fuck do you expect? Anyways, good. Then why isn’t now the time? Did I catch you jackin’ it?”

Daniel opened his mouth to reply but was immediately interrupted by the persistent man-child on the other end.

“Wait! No, you’re about to get laid. I get it. Wouldn’t pick up otherwise, or I mean, maybe. You have two hands. We don’t offer that kind of service though, sorry.”

“Did you call me just to talk?” Daniel asked with open irritation in his tone.

“I mean, no, I wanna know where you’re at with that offer. But y’know how lonely it gets here, Danny boy. I miss you.”

Daniel ignored the second half, “I’ll take you up on it. But I seriously can’t discuss details right now. I need to go.”

Cal loudly groaned, “Fine. Leaving me alone on a Saturday night. You’re cruel…” His tone immediately changed into one of glee, “I’ll catch ya later then, Danny. Oh and uh, tell your boyfriend I said hi. Nevermind, he’s on here, I’ll tell him myself. What’s hangin’, babe?”

Daniel immediately hung up and went back to the living room where David slammed the other phone down and moved away from it despite his cover already being blown. David stayed on the couch but sat nervously with his arms between his legs while looking down.

“I’m not mad.” Daniel assured him. “But what did you hear?”

David was flushed, “Not a whole lot… Was that your friend?”

Daniel let out a sigh, “Something like that… What did you hear though? I’m asking because he’s a bit… Yeah...”

“Enough to know what you mean.” David gave a twitch of a smile while only looking up for a split second. He nervously shifted.

“I don’t want you to be worried… I don’t like him, he’s just fooling around. And as for the deal… Well he’s the one I got the VCR from.” He stuck to the lie he came up with after the incident.

“What?” David asked, finally meeting his eyes for more than just a spare moment. 

“Oh… Damn, I just ruined the surprise. I haven’t set it up yet obviously, but you remember when I wouldn’t let you open the trunk?”

David paused, “Ohhhh… Oh! Yeah! That’s what you got so worked up over?” He smiled and eased his posture. 

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, I didn’t wanna show you till I set it up.” 

“We could set it up now if you want… But uh, may I ask what the deal was?”

“Oh, that, nothing too big. He just wants me to help him film something… A project.”

“For school?”

“Yeah, he’s uhm, in one of my classes.”

_'Him. In law school. How hysterical.’_

“Ohhh, I see.” David said, taking the bait. “Well where is it?”

_‘You are the biggest idiot in this room. And that’s saying a lot considering how easily David believed all of that.’_

He didn’t even buy a VCR yet. 

“You know what? I forgot that I actually needed to fix it first. I’ll set it up this week and we can mess around with it next time.” Daniel excused. “Is there anything else you want to do tonight? Not that I don’t love talking to you…”

“I’m not going to say it upfront because you already know. But later. For now I wanna at least hang out with you.”

“Should I start dinner then?”

“It’s a sleepover, you don’t have to cook. We can just order something. Watch whatever’s on TV, dance to music. Then y’know…”

“Whatever you wish. Anything you want in particular?” He went over to the book shelf against the wall and grabbed the phone book and opened it to the yellow section.

David went with pizza, no add-ons or anything. Daniel went to the kitchen again to make the order so he turned on the TV to find something to watch. The news was on, and it was another murder that took place in their area. Daniel didn’t hear until he was off the phone and came back into the room. Daniel’s eyes stayed on David, watching the reaction to what he already knew. The body floated long enough to wash up on shore not too far from the building. Someone spotted it while fishing.

David looked sick, and Daniel urged him to switch channels but he shook his head. His excuse was that he needed to know so he could be careful until the guy was caught. Daniel let him watch it until the food arrived, then he forced him to change the channel to something more lighthearted. David claimed he lost his appetite but gave in within several minutes, and eventually he forgot about it for a bit as they cuddled on the couch afterwards. 

Daniel started making his move on him and David pushed him off.

“First of all I want to brush my teeth, second of all, I don’t want to do it on the couch…” He noticed the heavy smell of tobacco as well, “Also, have you started smoking?”

“Are you mad?”

“It’s hard to be mad at you. So no, but haven’t you mentioned it was a waste of money?”

“It is, so I definitely don’t want you starting. I’ve just been stressed with school, I guess. Nothing you need to worry about though. I can stop whenever I want.”

“Okay, good. I’m gonna go get ready for bed now.” He grabbed his backpack off the floor and headed up the stairs to the second floor which he hadn’t seen before. He brought his bag into the bathroom and got out his toothbrush and they got ready for bed together. Once they were in bed, Daniel started to guess that David wasn’t in the mood anymore so he closed his eyes. He heard the shifting and felt the kisses on his neck. He didn’t move so David asked him if he still wanted to do it. 

He wanted to, he did, but he wanted to do it his way. Of course he didn’t say that however, instead he kissed him back and started to undress him. To Daniel it was mentally agonizing to hold himself back. To keep his teeth from closing down, to hold back on marking, to keep from using his nails, all to make sure he didn’t upset David. This time they used actual lubricant as well which he actually enjoyed, one of the only things he did like about it this time. But everything else was boring, it was as if he was jacking it in front of a white wall rather than dominating the most gorgeous boy on Earth. David was pleased though, his moans were proof of that. But he wished David _wasn’t_ enjoying it so much.

They kept one of the lamps on at request of David so he could see his lover’s face above him, and so Daniel could look at him back. Yet he had his eyes closed, like he was imagining something else, someone else? No, David thought, that wasn’t it. It couldn’t be. They loved each other, they were meant for each other. If Daniel was bored he’d say it upfront. Right? So why did he keep his eyes closed? David tried fake moaning again to get his attention but he stayed unattentive. It didn’t make sense since Daniel seemed into it the first time, more than himself. So what was different? 

“I love you, Daniel.” He said, a bit sadly.

It finally got Daniel’s attention, enough for him to reply as well, “I love you too.”

He still didn’t seem as thrilled as before though. Maybe it was the fact that it wasn’t their first time doing it? David decided to speak up,

“Is something wrong?”

Daniel stopped, “What? No, not at all.”

“You’d tell me if something was, right?”

“Of course…” He said automatically, but looked down to think. “It’s just that I’d rather do this… Differently.”

“What do you mean?”

“You remember when you said you wanted me to be softer? Well, let’s just say my deal was the opposite.”

“...Oh.” David was slightly relieved, but still, wasn’t the first time rough enough? He went ahead to ask what he meant by that exactly, “Like as in, that kink stuff? With the leather and the masks and all that?”

“I mean, not exactly like that. Not at first at least.” Daniel gave an awkward smile but David’s look of worry made it disappear as fast as it came. “It’d just be to spice it up a bit. Sex doesn’t have to be so…” He thought of the term Cal used that one day, “...Vanilla.”

“Is it me? Am I bad at it?”

“No! No, not at all. It’s not you, it’s me. I just think that we should at least try some things in the future. And who knows, you might like it too. I think you will, if you try. After all we’d have a safeword and--”

“A _safeword?”_ David seemed grossed out at the mention. “Since when does sex need a safeword?”

“David, trust me. You enjoyed it our first time, didn’t you?”

David shifted his shoulders uncomfortably, “Some of it. I didn’t like how slow you were at first, and the biting and scratching hurt.”

“Well there we go, we already have something in common. I don’t like how slow it is this time either.”

“So you liked the other part? The marking?”

Daniel answered truthfully, “Yeah... Don’t you like it though? The marks I left that stayed afterwards?” He asked above a whisper, leaning in slowly to kiss David’s pale neck that had healed quite a lot since the last time. “Wasn’t it comforting having everyone around you know that you were taken? That you’re _mine?_ That I wouldn’t make these marks on anyone else?”

“W-well yeah but--”

Daniel resumed his movements, slow at first, “I think you’re just scared, and I get it. It’s new, it’s scary.” His voice went down to a whisper close to his ear, “But you’ll love it. I know it.” He brought his head back up to look him in the eye, “You’ll call all the shots. If something doesn’t feel right, you just say the word and I’ll stop.”

David nodded, “Okay.” 

Daniel smiled, “You’ll like it. I promise.”

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my picks for this were probably the most generic I could ever go with but most of what I listed are just artists I could actually create dialogue around (I didn't like 70s music until the past year when I branched out so my knowledge of it is quite minimal), and most of are what I like that I've gotten into so far (except Bowie 😔 no Bowie....) 
> 
> oh, and anyone who's seen That 70s Show knows about the Led Zeppelin craze, had to add that ofc. 
> 
> anyways, felt like I had to add that so nobody calls me out on my cheesy choices heh


	17. Welcome to the Club

Within the week the time came for the offer that Daniel had postponed. With the last call he gave in and told Cal the requirements for shooting. Cal said he’d do the best he could and he’d handle everything. All Daniel had to do was show up.

Which he did, pulling in across the street to a building that fit the new address he was given over the phone. It was an abandoned warehouse not too far from the shop, just a few blocks away. He thought that part of the town was desolate, but where they were now seemed worse. Despite the urban setting there were no other sounds besides crickets. No passing cars or the sounds of loud TV speakers inside of people’s apartments. There were cars already parked outside and as he approached he could hear faint talking through the broken windows. He stepped up to the fully rusted doors and gave his routine set of knocks and waited for the confirmed second part.

A simple shout of ‘come in’ was said instead, but it seemed to finish the tune.

The door pushed open with loud hinges that squeaked and he walked into the giant room. In the middle of the mostly empty vicinity, there was a mattress with a white sheet with a few stains but no pillows, blankets, or even a bed frame attached. There were two men standing around, talking as if it were a normal hangout. The camera was on a stand as if it were a film set, along with the tripod lights that illuminated the center, so it was more professional than he expected. 

“Where’s Cal?” Daniel asked as he got closer.

They looked to respond but on cue, a door across the room opened and Cal stepped out with two more guys who were grabbing the arms of a masked figure. The familiar blonde smiled and greeted Daniel, opening his arms as if he were asking for a hug while walking.

“Danny! Glad you could make it! Like the setup?” He asked, slowly lowering his outstretched arms down to his sides.

Daniel spoke lowly, “Don’t say my name aloud. Also you promised it’d only be you and the camera operator.”

“Look, I didn’t know if you’d show up if I said otherwise. But these guys are vital aspects to the job. If something goes wrong then we have backup, y’know? I can introduce you if you’d like.”

“No need… Did you at least meet the other requirements?”

“You mean your Irish boy fetish? Yeah, hopefully he’s good enough for you. Young, pale, green eyed, and ginger. Found him on a college campus just about a--”

“I don’t need to know the details.” He looked over to the male who was now kneeling down on the concrete with the opaque bag on his head. “Is he drugged?”

“Didn’t need to do that. He complied.”

“I don’t want him to comply.”

Cal chuckled, “Don’t worry, if he was that willing he wouldn’t be bound, gagged, and blind right now. I’ll admit though, I don’t remember what you wanted to use.”

“Nothing.” He cracked his knuckles casually, then his neck. “Anything else I need to know? Time limit?”

“As long as you keep it interesting, you can go all night. But usually we do this anywhere from ten minutes to an hour for one tape.” He picked up a bag off the ground next to the bed, “And put this on.” He handed him a white mask that resembled a plain face with a slight smile and two holes for eyes, like it was an unfinished Halloween project.

Daniel put it on, adjusting his hair on the back of his head due to the strap. 

“Okay well, I’m ready.” He stated.

“Good.” Cal nodded to the two from before and one of them moved to stand behind the camera while the other backed off towards the doors to stand watch. “We usually do this at my house. Got a soundproof basement. But since you’re new, the guys wanted to remain cautious.” He stood next to the camera operator with crossed arms waiting for everyone. 

Daniel gave a glance towards the men who held onto the victim and they let go, grabbing their custom masks from the bag Cal left on the floor, one of them handing it back to him and then they both stood off towards the wall as spectators. Daniel looked behind his back to check if the camera was rolling, noticing the operator putting on a ski mask himself, along with Cal who took off his glasses to put on his that resembled a skull. Once they were good to go, the red light flicked on and Cal gave Daniel a ‘good to go’ nod. 

He pulled the bag off abruptly and the boy flinched, opening his eyes and squinting at the change of lighting that made his pupils shrink down in size. They raced around for an answer but then locked with Daniel’s. They were exceptionally bright, similar to green apples rather than David’s pine tree shade. His hair was more orange rather than auburn too. Minor pet peeves.

The duct tape over his mouth was ripped off and he bit his mildly chapped lips for a second before speaking. His voice was too high pitched as well, asking the annoying questions of where he was and what they were going to do to him. Daniel hit him in the face hard enough to get him to shut up, then grabbing ahold of his face to overanalyze his features, picking out every difference he had compared to David. It wasn’t the same. It’d never be the same. But it’d have to work for now. He’d settle for it.

The hand released only to move up to grip his hair and pull him by it to the poor excuse of a bed. He complained and was pushed down onto the mattress with his hands still handcuffed behind his back. With one hand keeping his head shoved against the fabric, Daniel undid his belt and pants with his free one, then slightly exposed his victim. That’s when the struggling began, thrashing like they always did to resist the unpreventable. The shouted threats came first followed by the begging accompanied by crying. Although there was a bottle of lubricant in arm’s reach, Daniel didn’t use a drop. He only stopped to use his spit for his own comfort. 

The male’s brittle voice spoke, trying to be loud enough to be heard over Daniel’s grunts but quiet enough not to be penalized for it, “Please… I don’t know what I did to piss you off but… I won’t tell anyone if you stop…”

He wasn’t going to tell anyone either way, no one would take it seriously, and he knew it deep down that it’d become another humiliating secret on his long list full of scenarios that were lighthearted enough to joke about during parties, rather than this new traumatic experience that not even his future lover would know of. Something he’d live alone with, depending on if he got out of this alive. He wasn’t sure what was worse; dying there or surviving with the penalty of silence.

Daniel didn’t have to reply for him to get the message that he was also aware of the bitter reality of it all. The chance was slim, like the probability of a coin landing on its edge rather than either side of heads or tails. The lack of response caused the male to go silent prematurely, giving up like a sheltered individual that had finally learned what death was. His limp body put the pressure on Daniel as he remembered what Cal had told him earlier. 

To bring the interest back, he lifted his mask up to reveal his lower half of his face and started biting down on the boy’s shoulder. He effortlessly broke through the skin to cause bleeding and the reaction he was looking for. More life sprung into the male as he screamed and squirmed around. Next Daniel pushed his shirt up to reveal his back, starting from the top and slowly scraping nails downwards against his spine. It wasn’t as effective as the biting, only leaving white lines that eventually turned a bright red but none drew blood. Annoyed by it, the blonde slid out and flipped the boy over on his back. 

Daniel took the mask off and everyone stared at him like he was insane, stupid, or both, but when the camera operator looked to Cal, he followed behind, taking off his mask and grinning with that same unhinged energy. 

The male on his back couldn’t defend himself when the hands above him grabbed his neck, thumbs crushing his windpipe. One of the men by the window tried stepping forward but Cal held his hand up as a sign to stop and let it play out. Since the boy’s hands were bound, he tried kicking but Daniel’s weight sat on his legs like an anchor keeping him down.

He was starting to see black, losing consciousness after the twenty second mark, but Daniel let go at the last moment, slightly panting from the exertion. As the boy was spluttering and rolled to his side to catch his breath, Daniel reached behind his back to unsheath a knife he originally smuggled for self-protection. Before any of them could run over and stop him, he pulled the boy’s hair to slit his throat from ear-to-ear. The slash left speckles all over the sheet and the main stream poured out onto the space beneath his head and soaked through the white fabric. 

As if it wasn’t bad already enough for the spectators, he continued engaging in the sexual act as if nothing had occurred. He kept going until he came, which was when Cal made a fast cutthroat gesture for the operator to cut the film, a gesture that seemed too soon to use regarding context. After the camera was turned off, Cal approached the bed first.

“That was quite the show you put on.” Cal said, glancing at the body. “A bit of a mess though.”

Daniel brushed his hair out of his face then stopped to look at his hand covered in blood, “Can’t argue there. Do you want help?”

“Mm, nah, it’s what I pay  _ them _ for. But do you want to stop by my place to wash up before you run home to the missus?”

“I live alone, I’ll be fine. Thanks though.” He got off the mattress, sheathed his knife, and then rubbed the blood off on his shirt. “Did he have a wallet on him?”

“Uh, yeah. Why?”

“I only want the ID.”

Cal gave him a certain look but took the wallet out and scanned for the identification, then handed it over to him, “Starting a collection?”

“Something like that.” He answered truthfully, putting it in his own wallet and getting ready to walk out of the building. However Cal stopped him.

“Hey,” Cal called out, “Before you go, can we have a smoke together?”

“Why?” Daniel turned around, “Am I in trouble? Or do you want to do it again?”

“Let’s discuss it outside. I got a whole pack and I’ll give it to you if you stay for a few more minutes.”

Daniel had no curfew but he did have the long drive back home, but a few minutes wouldn’t hurt so he agreed to it. Cal followed him outside while the men stayed up to clean the crime for him. Cal put his glasses back on, lit two cigarettes for them and they leaned against the wall near the parked cars.

“What you did back there was definitely unregulated.” Cal said.

“My bad.”

“But,” Cal took a long inhale of smoke and blew it out, “I didn’t stop you because I figured hey, it’s not me who took the mask off on camera. And I’ll be honest, it’s something I wanted someone to do for a long time. We need more experimental videos, and the guys back there might seem the type to do it but they aren’t. Their morality is fucked up enough to watch, hold a gun, fire it if needed, and clean up the mess afterwards. For fucks sake they even get off on it like the rest of us… But they have too much cowardice to get directly involved. They won’t cross that line.” He stopped to smoke again, tapping the cigarette to rid of the ashes. “I had a guy more like you who actually starred in every film. Loved it too. Got arrested though. The irony is it was over something as pathetic as drugs, which almost everyone is doing now.” He smiled for a second and paused to think. “My main point is, I want you to do this on a regular basis to replace him. I’ll let you pull that same shit again since you’re obviously into it.”

“How regular?”

“Once a month.”

“And I only have to show up?”

“Yep. Same rules apply. It’ll be your call. Well, as long as I approve of it.”

“Will I get paid?”

“Yeah, and if you keep the content fresh, go more wild, I’ll think about giving you a promotion. I usually give ten percent of the profit to the others, use the rest for equipment and my own paycheck. I’ll probably start you off with twenty, so double.”

“What’s your usual profit from this?”

“Well,” He stopped to try and do the math. “I usually sell the explicit tapes for fifty each, and you’d be surprised how many customers I get. International business and the like. I got a friend in Japan who works for that new VHS company, JVC. With those kinds of connections I can make more than just a buck or two...” He hummed, giving a final answer, “Anywhere from a thousand to three thousand on average. The more creeps I find and the more technology increases, the more profit I get,  _ we  _ get. It’s Hollywood magic, baby.”

Daniel blew out some smoke, looking at him, “Okay. I’m in.”

“Really? I felt like I’d have to sweeten the deal for you to agree despite it already being sugar-coated.” He looked at Daniel. “Figuratively. Nothing I’ve said is an exaggeration.”

“Well it’s a good offer.” He tossed the cigarette to the concrete. “However I need to ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“You mentioned that I should get a console for the tapes. What do you recommend?”

“The Betamax was released here last year. But my friend said they’re gonna be releasing theirs in Japan in September. If you wanted I could try and get a hold of one of those since they’ll have a longer time limit. It’ll cost more though, and you’ll have to wait. So it’s up to you.”

“I kinda made something up to someone so it has to be sooner rather than later. But thanks.”

“No problem. So, you’re in?” He grinned.

“Yeah.”

Cal tossed his cigarette to shake Daniel’s hand despite it being covered in dry blood, and when he pulled back the pack of cigarettes was out of his palm and in Daniel’s instead.

“I may seem like a sketchy guy but I keep my word... All yours. Maybe I’ll even let ya keep the mask too, you’ll definitely need it again if you come with us during our special outings... Which reminds me. Before you head home, do you want me to edit your face out of the tape? Since you’ll be doing it again anyways, I figured we can just cut that last scene out. Do it over. We don’t want you slipping up this early in the game, especially since your slip-ups are now mine. If you get caught, I can’t guarantee I’ll have your back again… And I really don’t want to be taking a shit in the same cell with you for fifteen years straight.” He laughed and continued, “Man, just keep your head on straight. Okay? Be careful with acting impulsively, or it’ll be your downfall.”

Daniel hated the reminder but he knew Cal was right. He slipped the pack in his pocket and replied while walking away, “Edit the tape then.”

“Will do. And welcome to the club.”

  
  
  
  



	18. Carnival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t get to edit this but I figured I haven’t posted in over a week and got off schedule so I might as well just post this long chapter. Basically this entire time I was debating on whether to fit in an extra chapter or putting it later on, finally decided I’ll add it later since I’d have to spend even longer writing it out. Anyways, chapter I’m writing atm is planned for Fourth of July, so I might spam what I have now until then 🤧 but after that I’m gonna have to apologize beforehand cuz oof!! I didn’t realize how fucking fast posting these chapters would be in comparison to how slow my ability to write has gotten ^^;; 
> 
> Ahhh anyhow, hope this isn’t too wordy/messy! 🤡 thank you!

Summer passed by fast with Daniel’s new schedule, and so did fall. Within that span he had collected a total of ten identification cards. He didn’t murder everyone he took advantage of, and not every film ended in a kill either. Every month a film was made, just like Cal had told him. With the release of the VCR in Japan, they made more money due to the new piece of technology and rise of international customers. Tapes could be filmed longer, up to four hours. Cal recruited a few other guys eventually, but there was no doubt that Daniel was still favored most, both by Cal and the customers. But he never planned on meeting any of the people Cal talked about that watched the tapes, only stuck with the few casual dates with his coworkers that Cal set up for certain small achievements. Daniel did get promoted though, roughly about seven hundred after a film, which almost made up to be an average annual income. 

David never seemed to catch on despite the new influx of money, just assuming Daniel got a regular job. Even with the VCR installed, he never bothered messing with the unlabeled tapes that were kept in boxes in the basement. Not even when he’d find one left in the living room while he was all alone did he choose to play it to see what it contained. He trusted Daniel after all, and porn was normal, assuming that’s all it was. It wasn’t any of his business so he’d simply leave it be. He knew despite their sex life becoming more hardcore, that he probably still made Daniel hold back, especially with how much he used the safeword when Daniel took it too far. But things seemed to be going fine all around, so it was okay. He let it slide.

Although after months of evening newscasts of the ongoing murders, even after they tied it to one source, a serial killer as they called it, no one was ever charged for not even one of the homicides. David stopped going out alone, which meant he stayed inside most nights when Jasper was at work or Daniel was busy with school or his own side job. Yet there was one night that David had looked forward to going out on for half a year. When that time of year inched closer, Daniel and him decided on the date of December 23rd.

The fair was finally in town and Daniel had to fulfill his promise he made all the way back in June. He picked his date up from his house at sunset before the night crowd pushed in like a wave bringing traffic. They got there as most of the parking lot was still full of empty spots. Daniel managed to get one near the entrance and David eagerly got out of the car the second the engine was off.

David refused to wear a jacket even though the forecast was meant to drop under fifty degrees Fahrenheit after dusk. Daniel was wearing his black jacket that he got off his first victim, although by then it practically belonged to David, considering he always stole it every other week. By then it had been washed, slept in, and even sewn on so many occasions that it became sentimental for David, like a childhood blanket. They both knew it was the reason why David chose to go bare-armed that night, because he knew that it’d be his again halfway through the date. That’s why Daniel chose to wear a turtleneck that night underneath, something he never wore outside of the season. Although David also made him carry his camera bag so he could take pictures of the lights.

After they got their colored wristbands and tickets, they walked around the fairgrounds talking about what they should do. 

“I think we should ride first. Actually, wait no, eat first, then ride.” David suggested after smelling the sweet scent of funnel cake nearby.

Daniel hummed in thought of David’s idea, “Don’t you think you’ll get sick if you eat first?”

“Okay, _ fair.”  _

“Was that supposed to be a pun?”

David smiled, “Maybe.”

“Well it was absolutely horrendous if it was… But very dad material. Good job.” Daniel ruffled his hair proudly.

“Don’t mess up my hair like that!” David pushed his arm away and then did it back, messing with Daniel’s blonde locks before pulling back in disgust, “Augh, what is in your hair?!”

“Hair gel.” Daniel stated, trying to fix it without a mirror. “Teaches you not to do that.”

“Ugh, that’s so un- _ fair.” _

“You’re not getting praise for that one. It was even worse the second time.” 

David fixed his own hairstyle, “Good. Now what are we going to do first? How about we eat, then do the calm rides first, like the ferris wheel?”

“I say we save that last. It’s better when it’s dark, trust me. And it’ll be a good way to end the night. I say we start off with the stomach-churning rides first, eat in the middle, games, and then the ferris wheel. Sound good? And don’t use the same pun or I will drive you back home right now.” Daniel threatened jokingly.

“I wasn’t going to! But you’re right, your plan makes more sense… So what sounds best?”

“Honestly it’s up to you.”

“Pacific Ocean Park used to have a Rotor ride. That was pretty fun. If you see one here point it out.”

“I can put you on a kiddie ride while I go look.” Daniel teased.

“Wait, that’d actually be fun…”

Daniel chuckled, “If only your height matched your personality… They have a carousel though, and bumper cars. Those are pretty close.”

“I love both of those! Which one first?”

“Bumper cars I guess. Pacts more of a punch.”

David grabbed his hand and made him run through the crowd to the short line outside the ride. The sun seemed to be getting dimmer by each minute they waited, but it only took four minutes till they were allowed in. They were double seated so they picked out a red one in the corner. David called shotgun, surprisingly with no verbal battle with his partner over it. His hands gripped the steering wheel in anticipation while Daniel’s gripped the seat in apprehension. 

Daniel’s anxiety was warranted, not because he was legitimately scared of a simple ride, but because each time the car would collide with another he relived a moment from six months ago that still managed to give him a jolt of discomfort, similar to the feeling he got after waking up from a nightmare. He couldn’t keep his mind off of that crash that led to his routine killing spree. It was somewhat bittersweet, except more in a sense of that like a piece of candy with a thin layer of sour coating and sugary center; the accident was short-lived yet traumatic experience, but at least in the long haul a lot of good came out of it. Who knows whether or not he would ever have had the courage to engage in his newfound interest. 

The ride was over after several minutes, putting an end to the repetitive emotional shock collar impacts of the cars. David held his hand again to lead him back outside where the sun had finally set all the way and the shadows began to take over the sky in gradient dark shades of blue and purple to cover up the peach pink afterglow. 

“A year ago me and Jasper were here and they had the Freedom Train on display.” David mentioned. It wasn’t necessarily an interesting memory to bring up, and not too relevant either, but it was the first thing to come to mind. Daniel had admitted so long ago that he wanted to know everything about David, including his memories, but so many of them were full of the name ‘Jasper’. Even after six months of being on good terms with the guy, hearing his name come out of David’s mouth over and over was like hearing the same joke over a hundred times, and the catch? The joke wasn’t even funny the first time.

David did a bit more monologuing during the other ride lines as Daniel listened and replied accordingly. Surprisingly the fun began after they ate when they started the games. David was still finishing a caramel apple so he watched as Daniel threw darts at colored balloons, trying to hit the red ones that were smaller and less common. His accuracy was good, especially after the practice he got from the restaurant Cal took him to for their celebrations that owned a real dart board. 

Daniel paused before making his final shot to win a stuffed animal, looking at the eager redhead, “Are you sure you don’t want a goldfish?”

“Well we’re still going to be here for a long time and it wouldn’t be good for it to move around that much. Plus I’d have to get a big tank and supplies…”

“Okay, okay.” He looked back to his target, a green balloon rather than red to win a less costly prize, “Stuffed animal it is.”

He hit it on the dot and it gave a loud instant pop. Daniel looked to David who tossed the rest of the apple into a nearby trash can and asked him which one he wanted.

“That one.” He said, pointing to a small brown rabbit wearing a carnival vest. 

“Awh really?” Daniel acting disappointed. “You get any pick and you didn’t choose the huge ones at the bottom? I could have won you a live fish.” He shook his head, “I guess we’ll take the fake rabbit then.”

David grinned as the man behind the counter reached up to grab his choice and handed it to Daniel. The blonde gave it to him and thanked the man before they resumed their walk. 

“Thank you.” David said as he hugged onto it. “I hardly ever got stuffed animals growing up. My uncle wasn’t the type to give gifts, especially something like this.”

“I can win you as many as you want. Are you sure that’s the only one you want?”

“Mhm. I don’t want our arms to be full on the way back. Besides, it’s already a bit weird that I’m carrying this around, don’t you think?”

“No one’s going to say anything. They probably assume you’re my younger brother or something.” 

“You said it yourself, I’m too tall to pass as a kid.”

Daniel shrugged, “Just don’t worry about it. What do I always tell you?”

“You’ll kill them. I know. But come on, you wouldn’t actually do that.” David said while looking down at the animal, pushing the soft fur out of its eyes.

“I would.” Daniel stated blatantly. “You know I would.”

It wasn’t the first time he openly admitted that, but David always took it as a self-defense kind of thing. Even if he said it with a straight face each time he repeated it, David didn’t think it went beyond protection. So he brushed it off like normal and kept walking. Daniel noticed how close he held the stuffed animal to his chest and stopped him dead in his tracks to give him the jacket. 

“Thank you… Should we take pictures on the carousel and then the ferris wheel?”

Daniel nodded and led the way to the rotating galore of brightly colored horses under golden lights. The line was empty so they ran between the metal fences straight to the carousel itself. Their tickets were almost out so they’d have to buy more after the ferris wheel, Daniel thought to himself as he gave two out of the last four tickets to the operator. 

Meanwhile David hopped up to the platform and graced his hands on the horses, noticing they were original wooden antiques rather than made of aluminum casts which became more common along with the rise of fiberglass and plastics. The ride was about to start so he picked a white horse with a baby blue mane and tail, standing next to it admiring the pastel pink saddle with carved flowers along the gold trimmings as he waited for Daniel to catch up. 

Daniel approached him, tapping on his shoulder from behind to spook him, which worked. David flinched and immediately sighed after realizing who it was. 

“I was talking to the operator, she said no one had been in line for the past twenty minutes so we can take our time with pictures.” Daniel said, grabbing David by his waist, kissing him before lifting him up to get on the saddle. He walked towards the edge to see the operator and gave her a thumbs up to start the ride. The horse started to fall and rise as the platform began to spin around the carousel’s center. Daniel got the camera out and opened it up, changing his footing to take decent pictures after the simple coaching he got from David over the months. 

Facing the opposite direction the ride was spinning gave him mild vertigo but he managed to stay upright and get pictures that weren’t completely blurry. David complained that he wanted to take some of Daniel as well but the blonde didn’t budge, insisting that the only model needed was David himself. After he took a couple more he made the signal to stop the ride and it started to slow. Daniel started showing off the first photographs to his star model, pointing out how nice they came out with the lighting leaving sparkles in David’s eyes and the blur effect of the background making him the focus of the picture, just like how he was in Daniel’s life. 

The moment was interrupted by the halt of the carousel and they had to put away the camera and photos. They went to their next destination which was just a three minute walk. They approached the quiet line that only had two other couples waiting for the few who were still on the ride. David couldn’t help but stare straight up as they stood underneath the giant machine of rainbow lights, getting nervous over the height since it seemed like it touched the black ocean above. Daniel gripped his hand, hard enough to hurt. 

David looked at him, “Are you scared too?”

“Hm? No? I just want to hold your hand is all.” Daniel smiled gently.

“Could you lighten your grip just a little?”

“Oh, sorry.” He loosed it a bit but still kept giving light squeezes as they waited. Eventually the seats were emptied and the four people in front of them moved up to get their spots. Daniel let go of his hand to let him go sit down, taking a moment to give the last of their tickets to the operator and slip him some cash. David wasn’t paying attention, spaced out even as Daniel sat down and the operator came over to lock the safety bars in place. 

“How tall is this?” David asked the operator before he walked away.

“One hundred twenty feet.” He answered indifferently before stepping away to start the ride.

“I thought you’ve ridden these before.” Daniel said.

“I have, but they still make me a bit nervous. Don’t rock it okay?”

Before Daniel could answer it began to move, a sudden jerk and they were slowly moved backwards. David kept the stuffed animal between his thighs to grip the cold safety bar. As the speed increased they were already in the air and up at the top and back down again. For a few moments it stayed circulating, but eventually it came to a sudden stop as they were at the top. Daniel looked to his left to see if David was looking at the view but he had his eyes clenched shut.

“Is it over already?” He asked without looking.

“Open and see for yourself.”

He did, and let out a scream while flinching, “IT’S TOO HIGH!”

Daniel grinned and teased him, “Oh is it? I couldn’t tell.” 

“Why are we stopped? Did it break down?” He swallowed. “Daniel, I want down.”

“You’re not gonna like my news then.”

“What do you mean?”

Daniel clicked his tongue and tilted his head casually, “I bribed him.”

“Bribed who?” 

“The operator.” He leaned forward and looked past his feet, “Slipped him a ten so we could have some time alone up here.”

“Why would you do that?!” David yelled in a panic.

Daniel looked to David’s right hand and gently set his own on it, grazing the soft warm skin with his palm, “Take a moment to breathe… Don’t think about anything but my hand, my voice. Close your eyes.”

David took a sharp inhale and did as told, listening to Daniel’s improvised guided meditation. 

Daniel continued, “Focus on the wind, breathe it in. Winter has that certain smell, doesn’t it? That clean scent? Inhale it. One, two, three, hold it… And release. Lift your head up, do it again.” He tapped David’s hand slowly three times, “And exhale…” 

He watched the white wisp of David’s warm breath meeting the cold. Then his eyes trailed to his neck where his adam’s apple poked out, getting that sudden violent urge to press into it… He kept going, now trying to distract himself by looking up as well, “Imagine you’re floating in a pool. Pseudo anti-gravity. Untouched, weightless. And then I want you to slowly open your eyes, but keep looking up.” 

When he did, he saw the stars flickering faintly despite the light pollution from below. The hand on his interlocked their fingers together and Daniel told him to slowly lower his gaze to the artificial lights instead. Now that he was calmed down he could actually sit and process the beauty of it, and understood why Daniel wanted to save it for last. It wasn’t even just the multicolored glow of the fairgrounds that made it mesmerizing, but also the Christmas lights off in the distance. It was something he wanted to take a picture of, but when he reached for the camera, Daniel stopped him.

“I wouldn’t risk dropping it.” Daniel warned. “Besides I doubt it’d really show up in the photos.”

David nodded, “Yeah, guess you’re right…”

Daniel checked his watch, wondering if he had enough time for it to be worth asking. He guessed that they had just wasted at least five minutes up there, so they had about probably ten left, depending if the operator would stick to his end of the deal. Daniel decided to make his move, sliding his hand down to David’s thigh casually. David didn’t do anything about it so he slid it up and in between the ginger’s legs.

“Daniel?” He asked, looking at him.

“Do you mind?” 

“N-not up here… Not in public.”

“Then how about you help me out now, and I can give it back in the car.”

David shook his head, moving the hand off of his thigh, “Later… You can wait, can’t you?”

“I mean, I  _ could…”  _ Daniel admitted, but then leaned forward.

David couldn’t help but curiously lean as well to look at what he was gazing at, but then the seat rocked as he threw his weight backwards. 

David’s hands gripped the bar again in fear and yelled, “Stop!”

Daniel chuckled, “What is it?” He did it again, making it shift again but harder.

“Daniel! Please stop! You’re not supposed to--”

He kept going, acting like an immature high schooler with a smug expression smeared across his face. David hit the limit when it tilted so far backwards that it felt as if the whole thing was about to flip upside down.

“OKAY!” David screamed.

Daniel quit his movements and they waited till the seat slowed close to a stop. David put his left hand over his chest, his heart beating so fast it felt as if it was about to burst like a balloon. Daniel wondered if he pushed it a bit too far since David never raised his voice that loudly before. It’d be the first time he made him genuinely angry if that was the case. He opened his mouth to apologize but David interrupted him before he had the chance.

“I’ll do it.” David said softer. 

Daniel attempted to apologize again but David already reached over and started groping his jeans. Instead of saying anything against it, he undid his zipper and pulled it out for David’s convenience. He leaned back calmly and brought his left arm up to rest against the side of the seat while also brushing the back of David’s hair with his hand. 

“Thank you baby boy.” He said with a soft seductive expression to match his tone. “I’ll pay you back.”

“You don’t have to.” David said, not meeting his eyes. 

Daniel closed his while leaning his head back a bit, relying on the physical sensation rather than visual. David moved his hand in a twisting motion as he moved it up and down, increasing the speed to try and get it over with sooner. 

“Spit on it.” Daniel stated. 

“I-- Okay…” He pulled his hand back to his mouth to gather a gob of saliva and spit it into his palm before resuming the action. Daniel bucked his hips as the warmth connected with his cock, causing David to flinch due to the slight shake of the seat again. At first David thought he was humming but it was a moan. It turned David on but he still didn’t want to have sex at the fair, or even in Daniel’s car. It was one of those weird fetish things Daniel always tried to urge him to do, but David preferred the comfort of privacy when they did it. Yet Daniel had a way of convincing him to do things he wasn’t sure of.

The ride finally set in motion again and Daniel cursed, concealing himself before they went down. David rubbed his hand against his pants and held back onto his stuffed rabbit and the railing. They were the last to get off, and David had totally forgotten there were other people on the ride which gave him secondhand embarrassment. While passing the operator Daniel slipped him another five dollars to act as a tip. David followed him, assuming they were going back to his car so they could go home, but instead Daniel was scouring for a semi-isolated spot on the fairgrounds. He grabbed David’s arm and pulled him to the back of a game tent that had closed early.

Their lips were on each other in no time, leading to a mini makeout session as Daniel started touching his body and trying to get his hands under his clothes. David yelped when the cold air hit his exposed abdomen and he had to stop Daniel from going further. 

“How are you not cold?” David asked.

“I’ve only lived here a year, I’m still used to northern winters. It doesn’t snow here, does it?”

“No, only in the mountains.”

Daniel smiled, “Why are we talking about the weather? Come on David, I’ll make it quick.” He tried to remove David’s pants this time but was physically rejected again as his arm was pushed away.

“I’ll just… I’ll just finish you off and then we can go home, okay?” David proposed.

“Alright but use your mouth this time. You’re right after all, it is pretty cold.” He smirked.

David gave him an uncomfortable smile before kneeling in the grass and setting the rabbit down so he could use both of his hands. Daniel’s erection was awfully visible underneath his jeans and it was surprising no one noticed it when they were walking, and it bounced up immediately when it was freed. It throbbed and David was a bit awed by it despite the multiple times he had it inside him by then. The tip was more red than usual though due to the cold, and he could tell Daniel was getting impatient to use his mouth as a cock warmer. As his hand moved up to continue the handjob from earlier, Daniel took him by surprise by pushing his head down on it. David immediately gripped onto Daniel’s thigh for stability as the blonde started thrusting himself into his mouth as he would when regularly fucking him. 

Except they hardly practiced oral yet, not even scratching the surface of deepthroating, so as soon as the tip of Daniel’s cock met with the back of his throat, his gag reflex took over and bile rose up. David pushed him away before it happened, throwing up on the grass rather than on his shoes, or his dick. Either way it was still both embarrassing and disgusting as he coughed and then spat the rest of saliva left hanging by on his lips. On the bright side, it should have killed Daniel’s mood enough for them to just go home. That’s what he thought at first, but Daniel only helped him up to move him away to continue. 

“No, Daniel, I’m done. I wanna go home.” He whined. “I feel sick.”

“We don’t have to do oral.” Daniel replied, “It’ll help you feel better. Come on now, it’ll be over before you know it.” 

He was too tired to even argue more so he did what Daniel told him to do, starting by sliding his pants down and turning around as Daniel used a bottle of lubricant to prep him. David said nothing of it, although the fact it was in his pocket in the first place meant he had planned it, which made the acid in his own mouth taste slightly more sour. Thankfully they were still in a secluded spot and a lot of people had gone home early since it was a Thursday night and the state fair lasted till after New Years, however the chances of someone seeing them were still too high.

“What if someone sees us?” David asked, turning his head.

Daniel replied without hiding his salacity, “Then we’ll give them a show worth watching…” David still didn’t seem convinced so he began to coax him again like he did on the ferris wheel, “Here, I’ll guide you again, okay? Get on the ground.” As David knelt down on the cold grass again, Daniel knelt beside him, “Close your eyes, lean forward.” Daniel placed a hand on David to force him forward gently until he was resting on his elbows as he held onto the stuffed animal. 

“I don’t know about--”

Daniel cut him off, “Keep holding onto it. Does he have a name yet?”

“No--”

“Then come up with one.” Daniel ordered.

“Right now?”

“Yes. Focus on that. Give him a nice name, something unique.” Daniel said, feeling him up some more physically, sticking his middle finger inside and making soft pushes. 

“O-okay… Uhm… What about--”

“Think harder. Don't just make it up on the spot. Take your time with it…”

He should have been saying that to himself since he gave up on his weak attempt of foreplay and instead started penetrating David with his cock already, eager to warm it up again. 

“Fuck...” David whispered. 

“Gotta come up with a better name than that.” Daniel joked.

“J-just… Hurry up… Please.”

With his hands placed on David’s hips for stability, he pressed his fingers down against his pale flesh and squeezed with his hand tightly. Daniel’s hands found themselves trailing up David’s body underneath his layers of clothes, getting the cold breeze to creep inside as well. The hands reached up to his shoulders for a minute holding still again, but then went to the top of his back only to scratch downwards harshly. The mix of cold air and the burning sensation from the reddening marks gave him something new to focus on rather than a name, along with the creeping pleasure from the constant penetration that only further picked up in pace. 

No, that still wasn’t enough to keep his mind off of the one thing he wanted to say out loud but refrained from doing so. On repeat in his head was their safeword.

_ ‘Butterscotch butterscotch butterscotch. Just say it. I’m not enjoying this. He’ll understand. Come on—‘ _

David’s own hands curled against the stuffed rabbit as Daniel fucked him with the same strong urge to breed as a real one. He noticed himself letting out small squeaks which he knew would turn into loud screams of profanity at that rate, so he bit down on the plush ear to silence himself. 

“Come on David, you can be loud if you want to.” Daniel leaned forward and pressed against him bringing his voice down to a whisper, “If you want to scream you can. I won’t stop you.”

David shook his head lightly but then couldn’t help but yell out when Daniel started slamming his cock against his prostate. 

“Are you close?” Daniel asked with a breathy voice. 

“W-wait… Don’t cum inside.”

Daniel wasn’t there yet but he already knew he wasn’t going to really listen to David’s plea. It was a mess that could be easily cleaned up, and it wasn’t his problem to begin with. Besides, it was entertaining to get those sort of reactions out of David, the male would always whine about it but never seemed to have the guts to seriously confront him about it. So he knew that David secretly enjoyed it, after all he liked being put in his place, to let everything be decided for him whether or not he agreed to it. That’s just how some people were, and Daniel knew it for a fact by then. Sometimes during a shoot he’d recognize signs of pleasure from his submissives, some would even climax before him. And David was the same exact way.

David was really nearing his limit, he tried to keep his mind off of it because he didn’t want to make a mess, but at that point he was already sweating and he was sure his hair was all over the place as some of it stuck to his forehead. Most of all though he still wanted to keep hidden to avoid getting in trouble. They could get arrested for something like this. 

_ ‘Oh god, I could go to jail for this!’  _ He thought as the realization finally hit him. “Daniel! Stop!” He tried telling him.

“I’m almost done, just wait a fucking minute!” Daniel snapped.

_ ‘Did he just yell at me? Is he mad? Do I say something else? Oh god, he’s mad at--’ _

He let out a cry as he came unexpectedly as Daniel slowed his thrusts into short bursts, cumming as well, inside like he told him not to. David bit into the cotton again, high pitched moans coming out muffled. Daniel wasn’t as concerned over his volume, and even started slapping his hand against David’s ass. His hand stopped to grope again, hard enough to bruise. A few more pounds and he finally pulled out for good. 

He was finally done and David could wash up and look forward to going home, to get a chance to overthink if he was mad at him or not. He’d rather not bring it up now, as he always needed time to make sure Daniel wouldn’t just get more upset at him, if he was. Daniel always said he wasn’t angry with him, that it could never happen,  _ that it wasn’t even possible.  _ But Daniel had those quick flashes where he’d give snappy comments, especially during sex, where it broke that reassurance all over again. 

David went to go find a restroom nearby and wash up after Daniel completely neglected his one request as the blonde stayed to smoke. He went around to the gravel pathway to discard ashes and to look around, but remained in the same area to wait for David’s return. As he was looking ahead, he heard a set of footsteps upon the rocks approach him. Turning his head, he expected a random fairworker or someone looking to find their friends, but instead he was met with a familiar glower. 

“Where’s David?” Jasper asked as he approached and immediately noticed David’s absence. 

“Bathroom. Why? Are you here to ground him?” Daniel joked with a smile.

“I’m not mad at him, obviously. He doesn’t know better… But that’s not the point. How come neither of you told me you were going out? Did you tell him to keep it a secret or something?”

“Woah, calm down. He must have forgotten. Seriously, what’s up? Family emergency? Death on his absent-mother’s side? Or are you looking for another reason to try and convince him to break up with me?”

“What?” The lines between his eyebrows creased more.

“Look,” Daniel tapped his cigarette to discard more ashes as he spoke rather calmly, “It’s not a secret, at least not to everyone besides David. He’s dumb as shit. But that’s why you like him, that’s why we  _ both _ admire him.”

“That has nothing to do with this. Also, he’s not stupid. Why the fuck would you say that about him? Don’t you respect him at all? You’re proving a point I didn’t even bring up.”

“Don’t act dense. You made it clear the first time we met. And I get it, well, not really, but I sympathize for you. Or I guess pity is more accurate.” He put the cigarette back to his lips and inhaled, stepping closer into Jasper’s personal bubble enough to pop it, especially by blowing out thick smoke directly into his face, causing the dirty blonde to scrunch up his nose in distaste. Daniel continued speaking as it cleared, “Classic case of the childhood crush. It’s cute. Rather cliché, but it’s romantic. Something to be adored by someone by David.” He grinned, “Awfully ironic though, considering he always talks about you, acts as if he likes you back, or so I thought at first. But then he always brings up how he sees you as a brother, as the family he never had.” He gave a mocking tone, “It’s  _ so _ cute.”

Jasper tried pushing him away, trying to avoid an argument despite the provocation, “Dude, just tell me where he is so I can take him home. I don’t have time for this.”

“Oh but you do, don’t you? I’ve been around long enough to know that all you do is work. Besides that, you just wait around for David to hang out with you, but now that I’m in the picture, that’s happening less and less, isn’t it?” He gave a frown. “I honestly don’t know how you do it, Jasper. How long has it been now?”

“Since summer. You should know your own anniversary.”

Daniel’s grin came back, “How many  _ years  _ has it been, Jasper? You’ve been strictly friends since David was, what, six years old?”

“Five.” Jasper corrected, gaze down suddenly shameful.

“Huh. Almost twenty years. That oughta make a man go mad. You’ve never told him, have you? How long were you going to wait?”

“It’s seriously none of your business.”

“Oh but I’m just curious, waiting that long for a perfect moment. Did that moment just never arrive? Or were you too afraid? Were you just going to keep it in until you died?”

“He’s been gone pretty long, hasn’t he?” Jasper asked, trying to deter from the prodding questions similar to the ones he asked Daniel when he first got with David. No, those were necessary, he thought. These were to get under his skin, to piss him off for no reason other than to enjoy seeing him seethe. He didn’t want to give this bastard any of the satisfaction.

“He’ll be back.” Daniel said. He did notice David  _ had  _ been gone for quite awhile, but he was too indulged in messing with Jasper’s internal ticking time bomb to bother looking for him at the moment. For some reason he wanted to finally set it off, see Jasper explode in a frenzy. More importantly, he really was curious. Curious to see if Jasper really did have the moxie to stand up for himself, or even fight. And he had to admit, Jasper’s constant check-ins on David was pestering, like a fly towards a soft drink. If it were up to him, he’d swat him out of the picture, leave his body in a dumpster somewhere to be someone else’s trash to deal with. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could put up with it.

“I’m gonna go look for him.” Jasper muttered while attempting to pass him.

Daniel grabbed his arm tightly, keeping him still, “I wasn’t done talking.”

“Let go of me.”

“What makes you think David will ever like you back? He knew you for almost twenty years, four-fifths of his entire life,” He smirked, “Yet he barely even knew me for a single  _ day.” _

That’s when Jasper saw red, and it wasn’t even from the lights around them. He took a sharp right hook and actually made contact with the side of Daniel’s face despite the open space between them where he could have easily missed or been forcefully blocked. The grip was off him now as Daniel was hunched forward, taking in the fact that he actually got hit, that he didn’t even  _ try  _ to dodge. Even though in the long run it’d be in his favor, he couldn’t believe it was  _ Jasper _ who threw the first punch. But he sure wasn’t throwing the last one. 

Jasper had time to run, to go find David because that was his original priority, but after seeing the pure enraged glare from the man he just physically provoked, he was stuck like a deer caught in headlights of the whites of his eyes. Jasper fell backwards on the gravel when Daniel started advancing towards him with that homicidal look that he knew was the real deal. There was no sense in attempting a proper conversation now, so he scrambled to his feet and began to run like his life depended on it, which it did at that moment. 

He let his legs carry him without any second thoughts, running in any direction he could to avoid stopping. With the adrenaline coursing through his body, his heartbeat pumped in his ears blocking his sense of hearing. Even his eyes were confused by all the flashing colors, especially because he left his glasses in his car which he only wore for driving despite his severe nearsightedness. To make it worse, out of all the places he could have run to, he chose to sprint towards the house of horror funhouse, a section that hadn’t even opened for the public yet due to the bright yellow caution construction signs that weren’t just there for the extra scare factor. 

The scene switched from bright to dark as he rushed past the front curtain, leaving him drenched in shadows so black he couldn’t see his own hands as he held his arms forward to act as his eyes. There was a flash of light only for a second as the drape was opened behind him and he picked up the speed again knowing his predator had caught up to him. He slammed into a wall but made an abrupt right turn which thankfully was the correct move since the left was a dead end. In that hallway there were obstacles of lightweight punching bags hanging from the ceiling that he had to squeeze and push through to the end where he saw a green luminescent arrow on the wall pointing left.

Jasper was already through by the time Daniel reached the first obstacle, except that although he was also blinded by adrenaline, he still managed to use his quick wits to put his back against the wall and slide through with ease to catch up. There was no fire sure way of knowing whether or not he was actually going to kill this pest after the cooldown period of the chase, but he did know that if he caught Jasper too soon into the game of cat and mouse, he knew for a fact that he wouldn’t only be playing with his prey after capture. 

The next room Jasper found himself in was full of luminous paint splatters littering the floor, walls, and ceiling under a set of UV lights above. The room didn’t seem finished, whatever it was supposed to be, as there were wooden boards, buckets of paint, and an open ladder by the next exit across the room. Another left with another hallway, except it was blinding with bright fluorescent lights and an entire black and white theme that made him weary of running across the floor due to the optical illusion of an uneven ground. He jogged across while staring upwards to avoid the mind trick, Daniel hot on his heel sprinting past the room as if it had zero effect. Jasper got through first however due to the head start, fire in his lungs and ache in his feet telling him to slow down rather than speed up. His sneakers squeaked as he spun to switch direction to make yet another left like they were going in a circle, or square to be technical.

This time it was a tunnel, one that  _ spun.  _ Or at least the walls were while the platform stayed still, on a slow setting but it remained a torture to his already strained eyes and headache. He wasn’t sure how much of it he could take, he started thinking of giving up, of trying to stop and talk. Surely Daniel wasn’t  _ actually  _ going to kill him, right? 

The uncertainty kept him running.

That was, until the final obstacle. A dark room with low light UV panels on the ceiling that illuminated deep blue lined frames that held up an array of full body mirrors. He moved carefully but swiftly to try and find a crook where he could hide to at least catch his breath, perhaps hide out until Daniel left so he could exit back through the entrance. He couldn’t even tell where he was going but he found a corner that seemed secluded, either way he needed to stop. His breath was so loud he pulled the collar of his t-shirt up to muffle it with the fabric that was wet with sweat. 

Daniel finally slowed to a stop as he entered the mirror maze, bringing himself down from his exertion as well. He gave a long loud sigh as he began to stride leisurely, taking his sweet time.

“We can talk this out.” Daniel offered. “Just come out, and we can discuss this properly like men. This doesn’t have to end in tragedy. I can offer you a deal. Simply hear me out…”

Jasper had to refuse himself the chance, this time keeping his hand over his mouth rather than the fabric. He heard fingernails clicking against the hard surface of the mirrors as Daniel walked around searching for him. Daniel started humming a song, one Jasper recognized within the first verse. ‘Glass Onion’ by The Beatles, he remembered. The footsteps and melodic voice inched closer and his mind raced on whether or not to make a break for it, and then it went silent.

Then there was a set of taps against one of the mirrors closest to him. A five part set of notes that needed finished with the last two parts.

Jasper froze, eyes straight ahead, waiting for the jumpscare he knew he was in store for. He had to run for it, it was now or never.

He lurched forward to his feet and ran to the nearest escape route but Daniel tackled him to the ground. Jasper kicked at him but his shoe clashed with an unsteady mirror, causing it to fall. Jasper forced both of their bodies to roll over before it hit the ground and shattered right beside them. The impact didn’t phase Daniel as he kept Jasper’s struggling to a minimum by forcing him down, attempting to smash his head against the floor as well. Jasper’s eyes darted to the side and he grasped for a mirror shard, cutting his own hand on it but reeling it towards himself to use against his attacker. However, Daniel held his wrist down as soon as he attempted to defend himself with it, overpowering him almost too easily.

Despite the lack of strength he had in his entire being he managed to speak, “What are you… Gaining from this?”

Daniel showed his teeth in a right sided grin, “Do you know what to do when you are faced with something life-threatening? Such as a tumor? Or a parasite?” 

It was a question he didn’t expect an answer to so he replied to his own words, “You remove it. Whether it be the easy way of antibiotics or taking a scalpel and cutting it off manually.” 

He forced the sharp fragment from his prey, getting a worse cut in the middle of his palm that dripped blood onto Jasper’s face as he held it up above him, “If not, it begins to fester. It kills its host in the most pernicious fashion.” 

The reflective piece lowered down but Jasper used the last of his strength to keep it from touching him. Daniel lectured, turning his explanation into one of more simplicity to mock Jasper for not understanding, “David is my life. And when something threatens that, even if it’s only in theory, I’ll take the precaution to prevent the worst outcome… It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s aware of that, after all, dogs don’t always understand when their owners are only trying to protect them when keeping chocolate out of reach. They don’t know that it’s toxic to them.” His eyes got a worried look to them yet he kept that smile, “He doesn’t know any better.”

_ ‘He’s insane.’  _ Jasper thought.  _ ‘He’s fucking insane.’  _ Although it wasn’t the time or place to say that out loud, so instead he tried bargaining, 

“I won’t get in the way of you two. I only want what’s best for him as well. Don’t you see that? Have you ever considered I haven’t confessed to him because I know he deserves better than me? Hell, it doesn’t matter whether or not I’m better for him! He doesn’t like me! I know that! I’ve  _ always _ known that!” He closed his eyes and swallowed harshly despite his mouth feeling like a dry desert wasteland, the hard lump in his throat mimicking a rock that made the act of simply breathing a strenuous task and finished his point, “And I know I can’t change that.”

It wasn’t necessarily his words that made Daniel take a mental step back to reconsider his objections, but rather his physical signs of exhaustion. It was an odd feeling of some sort of empathy, but only because it made him aware of how worn out he was as well. The adrenaline felt like it had depleted from his system, like he had been exsanguinated of the very thing that strived his violence. It was temporary, he knew it, it’d be back again. But he couldn’t argue with fatigue. 

He backed off, stepping off of Jasper and dropping the broken mirror, “I need to find David.”

That’s what Jasper had been trying to tell Daniel from the beginning, but he let the frustration slide, simply nodding his head in agreement. Daniel even extended his arm to help him up, even though he winced as Jasper gripped his hand where the fresh cut still bled. Jasper rubbed the blood off on his shirt as Daniel spoke again as if nothing had happened between them.

“He went to the bathrooms last time I saw him. He’s probably looking for me.” He stated. Then he cracked a friendly smile, “That was quite the right hook you gave me.” 

“Yeah, and that was quite the Scooby Doo chase you started.” Jasper joked deadpan, trying to find any strength to pretend he wasn’t still scared shitless. 

“Hey, you started it. You threw the first punch.”

“I guess so...” 

“Come on, let’s go before they close the whole fair.” Daniel insisted, putting a gentle hand on Jasper’s back to guide him towards an exit as if he was suddenly a close friend.

The fresh air hit them as they escaped the musty indoors, and Daniel’s prediction was accurate. Most of the fair was closed down by the time their altercation had ended. They checked the restrooms and they were vacant. That was when Jasper began to panic, suddenly turning into an almost comedic mess of paranoia. Daniel couldn’t deal with it at that point, no matter how hard he tried to fake kindness, so he decided to lie.

“Ah, you know what? Fuck, I think he went back to the car. I think that’s what he said last when I couldn’t hear him over the chatter. My bad completely.”

“What? Seriously? Are you fucking kidding me?” Jasper asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, however by now he’s probably looking for me. Didn’t you say you didn’t have the time? Your job I assume?”

“Fuck… That doesn’t matter now though. We need to find David first, that’s what you said yourself.”

“I said that  _ I  _ needed to find him. He’s my date after all, and I don’t know how he’d feel about his roommate interrupting that. He’s been telling me about how annoying you’ve been with that. I’d turn it down a notch by the way.” He was taking advantage of Jasper’s current fragile mindset, hoping it’d work.

“What if he’s--”

“He’s fine. You head to the alley. If something happens I’ll call you, and I’ll get the police involved. I doubt it’ll come to that, but you have my word just in case. Okay? No need to get fired over a little miscommunication.”

Jasper was considering calling it off, even if David was safe, his body felt like it would collapse in the middle of a shift, even if it was a weeknight shift that ended early. Yet the look of confidence in Daniel’s eyes made him reassured enough to listen. He gave in and ended up going back to his car. 

Finally, Daniel had a fucking break from him. It must have been the most personal interaction he had with Jasper so far, and to say it was as unpleasant as he would have ever imagined would be an understatement. Despite his crankiness, he trudged on to look for his date. However, there was no possible way he was still on the fairgrounds, not after how much they searched. Eventually he had to give up and go back to his car, which was also empty of any redheaded boys…  _ ‘Neither dead or alive.’ _ He thought humorously to himself.

David wasn’t anywhere in the parking lot waiting for him, and that’s when he finally began to worry. He considered the possibility of David walking home, yet it’d be surprising with how cautious he was after always watching the news. Daniel drove by David’s house anyways and found it empty. His own house then, surely, he thought. Still nothing. He dropped the car keys on the kitchen table and got a glass of water. In the middle of downing the glass when the phone rang. He wiped his mouth with his arm and set the glass down, picking up the phone expecting either David, Jasper, or even the police on the other end. 

Yet it was Cal on the line.

  
  
  
  
  



	19. Game Changer

“Jesus, finally you pick up the fucking phone,” Cal remarked, “I got a lil surprise for you.”

“It’s a week night,” Daniel said, already irritated by him, “I really don’t have time for another--”

“It’s not another poker night. I have something more special, you’ll like it. I promise.”

“I have responsibilities you know,” Daniel started but was cut off again.

“Nahh, come on. It’ll be a quickie. Especially since I finally found one that matches your preference more, on the dot. You’ll love him.”

“I’m fine.”

“Daniel.” Cal stated in a suddenly serious tone, which was very out of character for him, especially to call Daniel by his full name rather than one of the short nicknames assigned. He continued on with his usual casual speech, “Just show up... It’s a new place. None of us wanted to make the drive all the way back so it’s more in your area, I doubt it’ll even take you twenty minutes. Then you can get back to whatever is so important. Alright?”

Daniel didn’t _need_ to do it again, having already gotten a decent fuck out of David that night. Although after his sudden rampage with Jasper, he could blow off more steam if he wanted to. Which if he was honest, of course he did. It didn’t matter how sore his muscles felt or how ready he was for bed. He could handle another hour on his feet if it meant he could experience another sexual high. Especially if what Cal said was accurate, that this new recipient resembled his own boyfriend, and that he was free to do whatever he wished to the poor sap, as Cal occasionally worded it. 

He was sold, getting the new address immediately and writing it down on a notepad that he would burn afterwards during a smoke as he usually did. Despite his lack of caution in other aspects such as his impulsivity, he did make sure to discard what evidence he was able. 

After hanging up, he ripped the page out and shoved it in his pocket, grabbing his car keys again to run out of the house and head to his new destination. It was like his mind flicked a switch off, making him completely ignore his search for David. Of course he was worried, and to him he was so worried that his brain blocked it off as a coping mechanism. That’s what he told himself at least, whether or not it was true. If it came down to it, he could get Cal’s help. It was worth a shot, and it seemed less of a hassle than getting help from the police.

And it turned out Cal was right. He really wasn’t one to lie after all. The drive was a little under twenty minutes away and Daniel was perplexed to see that it wasn’t an abandoned building. It was a regular residence that even more shockingly belonged to Cal himself. With how much Cal would complain to Daniel about wanting to hang out due to loneliness, it was a shock to find out that he lived in the populated county of Los Angeles as well. Especially so close.

Daniel was warmly welcomed inside the house that was devoid of people. Daniel looked around the empty living room with a suspicious expression, noticing the empty beer bottles and coke cans on the table that he knew didn’t all belong to one man. He stepped onto the orange carpet and noticed the crowded bookshelf as well, not expecting Cal to be much of a bookworm. He eyed the other blonde and he immediately explained.

“They’re all downstairs in the basement. Prepping.” Cal said. “Can I get you a drink?”

“I’m fine... You never told me you lived so close.”

“I might seem like I take extreme risks, which I do, obviously. But just like you I still take certain precautions. A job offer on the spot is one thing, giving your personal address is another. I don’t even bring whores over until I’ve had dinner with them.” He laughed and patted Daniel on the shoulder briefly, guiding him to a door in another part of the house that had multiple locks; deadbolt, security chain, and a padlock. All of which were unlocked at that moment, but he was sure they were used often. Cal seemed to read his mind and brought it up as they walked down the stairs. 

“Keep in mind that I’m not actually a kidnapper or anything. At least, not long term. As you already know I’m never the one doing the assaulting. I’m simply a voyeur... But we always have to have backups.”

He stopped talking as they reached the bottom of the steps and entered a room with soundproof walls and dim lights. They approached the men who were already in the act of sticking their fingers inside of the boy to prep him. The male was still struggling against the ligatures of black rope tied around his wrists that bound him to a bed frame. He had silver duct tape over his mouth but it didn’t keep him from being vocal by screaming through the suppression. His eyes were covered with an opaque cloth as well, but he could still hear and feel everything happening. The camera was already rolling and pointed towards the bed, but no one was operating it. Instead they were all messing with the strapped down male with their individual masks on.

Cal’s smile dissipated when he saw the look on Daniel’s face. He looked downright _pissed._

“What’s wrong?” Cal asked. “Is it about not waiting?”

He didn’t say a word, instead looked to him and pointed to his own ear. Cal took a moment to understand what he was referring to, nodding and then walking away to quickly fetch a pair of cushioned headphones to place them over the victim’s head to block out sound. It wouldn’t block out everything but it was enough to silence regular conversations.

Daniel spoke, “Now tell them to stop.”

“Okay?” Cal said quizzically. He gave a loud snap and made a hand gesture towards the other guys like they were dogs. They backed off fortunately due to their respect towards their boss, along with the fear of his obvious favorite. 

Cal crossed his arms, “Now what is it?”

The other blonde didn’t look at him, instead he stared at the male on the bed with an almost sympathetic look. Something Cal never saw on his face before. Daniel slowly approached the bed and knelt on it, holding himself above the scared redhead before removing the tape from his mouth carefully. When Daniel kissed him that’s when Cal realized. 

“David.” Daniel whispered, quiet enough so that he actually wouldn’t be heard through the headphones. He caressed his face and went in for another kiss, but David decided to bite his lips this time. It was enough to make him flinch but not enough to draw blood. 

David’s voice was soft but stern, “Let me go.” When nothing happened he screamed it with more precariousness, “Let me go!” He threw his head to the side expecting to be smacked, but Daniel was hesitant. David started mumbling, ‘I need to get back’ a few times and a few incoherent phrases.

“We had to drug him.” Cal explained. “It’s still in effect.”

“What did you give him?”

“Ketamine. It’ll last up to an hour usually, so I’d say it’ll still be in effect for another thirty minutes.”

“Will he remember any of this?”

“Hard to say. It’s likely he’ll remember somewhat, but not the details. It’s known to cause hallucination, amnesia, dizziness, and other stuff. But it’s best to stay careful, if you plan on taking the blindfold off. Personally I wouldn’t risk it. At least put a mask on before you do.”

He put a hand against David’s chest to feel his rapid heartbeat and shallow breathing. David’s panicked state was enough to turn him on despite his concern. David didn’t seem all there though due to the drugs.

“I thought Ketamine was a relaxer.”

Cal clicked his tongue and hummed, “Hmm, well, it can be. It’s an anesthetic. So he won’t feel much physical pain, depending what you inflict on him. It _can_ make patients relaxed, even euphoric. But it can cause paranoia and irritation as well, just like any drug. Depends… I think it’s having a more negative effect on him though.”

Daniel’s hand travelled down across his bare abdomen to his crotch where he noticed David was aroused. 

“Increased libido is also a side effect.” Cal noted.

“Anything else?”

“I’m not a doctor. I’m going off of what I’ve seen. I’m not sure of the long term effects. But since it’s a one-time thing, I’m sure after a day he’ll be fine… Listen, we can cancel this if you want. I can give him a ride to his house or we can--”

“No.” Daniel said. “That’s not necessary.”

“Do you want privacy?”

“I don’t give a shit about what you do.” He snapped. “I just need a moment to think.”

Cal shrugged it off and sat in a recliner off to the side to simply watch like he always did. There was a couch that some of the other guys sat on while the rest of them stood or leaned against the wall. Even with the audience around them, Daniel was hyperfocused on David. He could finally experiment with him in the ways he wanted to. To an extent of course. Murder was out of the picture, the high just wouldn’t be worth it, no matter how orgasmic it would be. After all, he _loved_ David. And he loved him enough not to physically harm him to the extent of his desires. So that meant he had to go easy on him, to hold back on impulse and act within reason. 

Daniel rolled his sleeves up past his elbows and undid his belt. He hardly ever took his clothes off for sex, except for when David begged him to. It wasn’t out of shame for his body, not at all. It was more for the fact that he enjoyed the slight taboo behind it, and the power dynamic implications that came along with it as well. Especially when his submissive was exposed to the fullest, it always made them more flustered than if he were to undress along with them. That’s why David would often complain about it, out of embarrassment for being vulnerable, even though that was his natural state of being. 

David would always be vulnerable in life. He was born that way. Weak, emotional, and easily preyed upon. That’s why he couldn’t fight his attackers when being drugged and kidnapped. It’s why he relied on Jasper for finance. Why he relied on Daniel for protection. Sure, he could attempt to learn some independence, but it would be so effortless to knock him back down to square one. He’d always come running back. 

He lulled his head to the other side and mumbled another drugged slurred string of words incoherently. Daniel started feeling him up again by fingering his ass to check if it was still properly lubricated. David tried squeezing his thighs together to close himself off but Daniel moved in between them further to force them apart. 

“You can’t…” David started. “He’ll be back any moment… And he’ll hurt you.”

It sounded like what a housewife would say in a love affair. It probably was about himself, Daniel thought. A threat to someone who David thought was a stranger taking advantage of him, not his own lover. As Daniel undid his jeans and grabbed David’s waist to pull him closer, that’s when the resistance began to unfold. He tried kicking but couldn’t maneuver his legs properly with Daniel’s body in the middle of them. 

“Don’t please don’t…” David begged. “Please don’t! He’ll…” 

Daniel realized that it wasn’t necessarily a threat, but a warning. As if he were really sympathizing with his assaulter. 

“You don’t want to do this.” He continued. “Please don--” He was cut off by the abrupt penetration causing him to cry out in pain and shock. The rope around his wrists were unyielding, friction leaving red marks similar to sun burns from his continuous flails from the incessant rape. The gradual pleasure from below only fed into his array of emotions, although their presence was all too complicated to comprehend under the influence of ketamine still in his system. 

He felt awful, the worst he had in his whole life. Worse than when he broke his arm as a kid, although the physicality of that still may have been more excruciating, it was no comparison to the mental state he was currently in. He felt the pang of guilt, as if he were cheating on Daniel who only ever showed genuine fidelity. He felt the repulsion, as if he was being contaminated with grime. All of it heightened with the sole fact he was _enjoying_ it, even if it was out of his control. 

Although with the intense dread he could barely focus on his own inner dialogue, if he even had any at that moment. It was as if his normal monologue was replaced with those abstract feelings. A dissociative state that further kicked in as exhaustion plagued his being. Yet certain things would randomly bring him back for a split moment, such as a change of pace or random touch against his arm, causing his thoughts kicking into overdrive only to die back into blaring static in a cycle like waves rolling in and out like a riptide that drowned his mind. The waves numbed his senses when he was under, but then when something brought him back to reality it was like a shock to his system, similar to being jolted awake during a long car ride while behind the wheel. 

Daniel would notice the occasional twitch, but other than that it was as if he was fucking another corpse. David’s protests sure didn’t last as long as he would have expected, or hoped. Usually the silence wasn’t noticeable around him, yet now it was excruciating. 

Why wasn’t this as good as he imagined? He waited so fucking long for an oppurtunity that was never set in stone to begin with. Here it was. Out of luck, fate, whatever, the situation had arisen. Exhaustion could have been a vital role, he considered. Or the fact that _he_ wasn’t the one to initiate it. No, he set those aside. Those had nothing to do with it. It wasn’t David’s reaction either. The sole reason that none of it was stimulating was because he knew he had no control. At least not as much as he did when going for strangers he picked up on the street. He couldn’t kill David, he couldn’t brutalize him… _Hell, he was even weary of leaving his usual marks._

He was about to call it off.

Except after a glance to Cal, he pointed with a look of panic, mouthing something that Daniel didn’t catch right away. Instead of deciphering it, he looked to David who he was pointing towards. The blindfold had slipped down and their eyes met. His heart instantly dropped like a heavy ship anchor in his chest.

Despite David’s lowered eyelids in a tired way, his pupils were contracted as if they had been under a blinding light rather than the leaden cloth. To David the surroundings were blurred, although not in a consistent near or farsighted way, but as if only certain parts of a picture were in focus. He could make out the person above him though, he’d recognize those eyes anywhere. He wanted to say something, but he closed his eyes and let the fatigue finally take him. 

“David.” Daniel said, taking the headphones off of his head and repeating his name once again. “David. Wake up.”

Cal got up out of the chair and walked towards the bed, “He’s fine. Probably passed out from all the turmoil. You’re allowed to go on, obviously, or--”

“No, we’re done here.” Daniel stated, stopping and getting himself situated. He spoke to Cal while rolling his sleeves down, not making eye contact, “Where are his things?”

“Oh, uh, upstairs. Do you want me to--”

“No need.”

He knew Daniel hardly took his offers, always shooting him down with the same replies when he brought up favors, but that was the last one of the night he’d propose. He watched as Daniel undid the ropes and secured David in a blanket, picking him up with care and walking towards the stairs.

“Wrap it up.” Cal said to the other men before following the other blonde to the first floor. As they got to the living room and he pointed out the belongings, he began to apologize again, “We seriously didn’t know, man. I’m sorry about that. You never showed us a picture or let us meet him, so you gotta understand it was a pure mistake.”

“Don’t make any copies of the tape. And I want the original. Mail it to me.” Daniel ordered without acknowledging the apology. “Find my address in the phonebook. You remember the name I told you two weeks ago?”

“Yeah but--”

“It was my last name. Only one in there. I’ve checked. Mail it to me.”

“I can just drop it over.”

He shot Cal a glare and he held his hands up backing off. 

“Consider it done.” Cal said in surrender. 

Daniel opened the door with a free hand and pushed it open with his shoe, “And I quit.”

“Woah, wait, what? You can’t quit.” He put his arms down and rushed to the door, repeating, “You can’t quit.”

“It’s my call.”

“This is just the beginning, Daniel.”

“For you, sure.” Daniel said, making his way outside to his car as Cal trailed behind trying to convince him to reconsider.

“Can’t you at least sleep on it? Take a break from it?”

“I’m not going to repeat myself again...” 

Daniel had opened the back of his car and put David in along with his clothing and fair gift, making sure he was still asleep and comfortable enough not to wake during the drive.

Cal furrowed his brows, “I won’t let you back out. Not over something as absurd as your objectified bitch. What’s up with that anyways? Did your fetish really come about because he wouldn’t fuck you? Is that why you’re obsessed with redheads?”

He was really edging Daniel on, like prodding a hornets nest that could be easily left alone if he had simply walked away. Unfortunately for him, the hive itself was about to break. Daniel slammed the door shut but remained with his back turned as Cal kept provoking.

“You’re not quitting. If you try, I’ll just have to make an anonymous phone call to those bastards at the station. I can even mail the tape to _them_ instead. I can drop off every tape you’ve partook in... I can, and _will_ get your name known in this city _._ And it sure as hell won’t be on one of those fuckin’ Hollywood stars either.”

That was _it._ Daniel was about ready to take a swing at him, but he held back on that knowing at this point it’d be faster to get his point across in another manner so he could drop David off and be done for the night. But he wasn’t going to let this slide without some sort of repercussion. He slid his heels against the concrete, making a sharp one-eighty turn slow enough not to immediately startle the other male. He didn’t _need_ to startle Cal with a simple jumpscare. All he had to do was give him a certain look, one that lacked crinkles in the skin yet still held an extreme emotion. His lips lifted into a smile but with his wide eyes it came off as unnerving. Cal would only put it in one word:

_Uncanny._

He was ready to back off but Daniel took a hold of the back of his head at breakneck speed, shoving him against the car hard enough to make it rock. Daniel made it so Cal had his back against the vehicle and was forced to look him in the eyes.

“If you blackmail me then I’ll make it so you aren’t just a voyeur anymore. How does that sound?” Daniel threatened while gripping his shirt. “I’ll do much worse to you than anyone else I’ve experimented on. I’ll keep you in a lightless closet until you’re _begging_ me to kill you from the boredom. If you don’t die from the vital shock to your system from having your limbs ripped from their sockets or internal bleeding after I break your ribs, then surely the malnutrition from feeding on your own shit will do the trick. It’ll take months before they find you, if they ever do before giving up on someone as forgettable as yesterday’s newspaper. You’ll only be a _statistic.”_ His voice gave a slight hiss at the end. Cal was silent so he asked for a confirmation, “Does that sound like a proper deal?”

Cal nodded, “Yeah… Whatever, man.” He avoided direct eye contact.

“Try _anything,_ and you’ll never make another film again. But if you behave, stay in your own lane, we’ll never have to cross paths and you can keep living your shitty lowlife. Got it?”

_“I get it.”_ Cal snapped, glaring back.

Daniel let him go, stepping back to let him walk freely with no cuts, bruises, or worse. Cal put his hands in his pockets as he walked away, but said something loud enough for Daniel to hear.

“You’ll get caught eventually.”

If it hadn’t already been a long night, he would have at least given him a sample of his threat. But he needed to put his attention back on find. He inched closer to the window and stared in, watching the still body in the backseat that could have passed for a corpse. He needed to get the younger male back home. 

On the ride he kept the volume down on the radio and made sure not to make any sharp turns while driving under the speed limit, similar to the ride back from their first date when David had a headache from their fall. Thankfully the house was empty when they arrived home. If Jasper hadn’t trusted him it could have gone much worse. But instead he carried David inside through the unlocked front door and brought him up to his bedroom, considering giving him a bath but not wanting to risk waking him up. Instead Daniel cleaned him with a warm damp washcloth and dressed him in loose pajama pants before tucking him in like a mother would. He placed the stuffed rabbit next to him and took the time to sit there on the bedside and apologize softly under his breath despite being unheard, 

“I’m sorry for what happened tonight... Promise me you’ll forget about it. At least block out the bad parts. I don’t want you to remember this, I don’t want Jasper involved… Most importantly I don’t want you to think badly of me. If I were to lose you, I don’t know what I’d do. Go off the deep end, I guess. More than I already have…” He sighed, “I’ll work on it. I’ll get better, for you.” He stood up and turned off the lamp, heading towards the cracked door and stopping to add one last thing before leaving, “After all, you’re all I need.” And with that final saying he closed the door on his way out.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> predictable but yea


	20. Road Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shit fuck I gotta hurry on my holiday chapter I didn’t realize July4th is next week ;w;;; 
> 
> Also this fic is getting so Long but don’t worry I have a plan for it even if it might take me a while I at least know my plot n stuff hhaha

Quitting his side job was probably the worst mistake of Daniel’s life, along with his promise at David’s bedside. It at least felt like it at first. David had distanced himself from him for two weeks straight, not answering the multiple phone calls and getting Jasper to answer the door instead to brush him off. Jasper would tell him the same thing along the lines of, _‘David’s sick. He doesn’t want you to get sick as well. He needs time alone. I’ll let you know when he’s available.’_

Which of course it was a lie. Daniel knew that. David must have remembered vaguely of what happened, yet Daniel couldn’t confront him about it till he knew for sure what he recollected. Yet whatever it was, David must have not told Jasper any of it. If he had, Jasper would have been much more aggressive in keeping Daniel away. Jasper seemed to tell that David wasn’t down with a simple fever however, from the way he would say it each time with uncertainty in his voice and manners. 

Although by the time David was done with his two week isolation, he didn’t behave the way Daniel expected. It was as if he really was just down with a cold during that period because once David answered the door himself, he was back to his perky, joyful self. He acted like nothing had ever happened. If Daniel wasn’t at fault, he would have pressured David into opening up. Instead he subconsciously brushed it off and things went back to normal. Well, almost normal. 

David refused to have sex with him, hardly even turning kisses into makeout sessions. It seemed that hugs didn’t even last over ten seconds anymore. Daniel almost hit his limit considering they were meant to be dating, meant to be in love, but mostly because he really had kept to his promise. He held back on his impulses ever since that night he crossed a line of security and morals. Even though there were so many chances that walked past him on the street, full of naivety and blissful ignorance. Even though Cal was just a phone call away. With all of the freetime he got back, the more hellish his life felt with each passing day. The dull throb of boredom had returned and he wasn’t sure how long he could handle it. It was as if he was dealing with drug withdrawals, yet the amount of cigarette packs he went through piled up in his kitchen trash can at an unhealthy speed.

Yet with any addiction, it surprisingly got easier with time, with a few bumps in the road here and there. He had to fill the void with other things, mainly another job. Besides going back to occasionally volunteering for a hotline, he managed to get a job at a slaughterhouse over an hour from his house. It was an easy process due to having already worked at one when he was a late teenager. It was something he had never told David, especially after his overreaction to a simple knife collection, and besides it wasn’t a fun trivia fact he went out of his way to tell people. It wasn’t as fun as he had expected since they were obligated to use captive bolt pistols to be humane, unlike the previous small abattoir back in the Midwest. But the exsanguination process made it worth it, despite the constant blood stains, smell of iron, and heavy lifting. He never told David about it but the younger male never bothered to ask about his job since it never interrupted their dates. 

Eventually life started to mellow out again in the summer, and David even opened back up physically after a couple months. After all the time edging, finally being able to dominate his lover felt like absolute bliss. Daniel didn’t even have the decency to wait until the roommate was gone for the night, opting to mount David in the middle of the day in his bedroom, not holding back whatsoever so Jasper could hear every bit of it. Even through the loud volume of Jimi Hendrix with quality headphones. Thankfully for Jasper it still wasn’t an often occurrence, and Davd didn’t seem depressed anymore, but he despised that they seemed to only grow closer again within the next year. 

By 1978, Daniel had most of his life together. He quit smoking, graduated from law school, and was almost ready to become a lawyer and support David for when he finally decided to move in with him. For David it was a mix of changes, yet nothing seemed to stick for him. He had a few part time jobs that didn’t last too long, and he considered dropping out of college despite being two thirds done with it, yet both Jasper and Daniel urged him to at least take the final year. He dropped skating for a while as well, picking up the art of painting instead, so he sold a few canvases on the side. As for Jasper, things remained almost the exact same as it always did, with working at the bowling alley and pining over David, never falling for anyone else he met.

By summer it had been exactly two years since Daniel met them, and he and David had their anniversary, referencing jokingly to Daniel’s arrest through cheesy cards like the previous year. And after Daniel’s graduation, David invited him to travel up to Washington to a summer camp, the one that David always talked fondly about when caught up in his nostalgia. It was a job offer, David mentioned, a temporary fill to help his uncle out, and it was only for the summer. So of course, Daniel agreed to go as support, and it would be the first time meeting part of his boyfriend’s real family, probably the only real family of David’s that Daniel would ever meet.

  
  


The day came by soon, especially since David brought it up late. It was sunny and Daniel arrived at his house, parking his own car in the half empty driveway. David ran up to him and hugged him gleefully.

“Did you pack everything?” He asked the blonde.

“Hopefully. I wasn’t sure what to bring so I packed the essentials.”

“What about a bathing suit? I did mention the lake, right?”

“Yeah, that too. Where’s Jasper?” Daniel asked, noticing the empty driveway.

“He’s inside helping me pack. Do you want to drive? Or are we going to take turns?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” 

“Well it’ll be a long drive. About twenty hours including gas stops and bathroom breaks, and food. That’s only if we don’t stop to sleep. If we were to take turns I bet we could do it, but I don’t know what you’re comfortable with.”

“Whatever you’re fine with. Is Jasper not going?” He asked right as Jasper had walked out of the house with a few bags.

Jasper answered, “Nah, my boss is strict about not giving proper notice.” 

“I see. Where’s your car? You never keep it in the garage.”

“Because it’s not. They did a recall on the Pinto due to fuel tanks blowing up. Something with the placement I believe. Thankfully I never had any accidents. So at the moment David’s been driving me everywhere. But since you’re both leaving I’ll probably get a coworker or something to take me.” 

David took the bags from him to put them in the car as they continued talking.

“Are you gonna get a new Ford then? Or are you gonna venture out?” Daniel asked.

“I might get a van or a sports car.”

“Totally opposite ends of the spectrum. If you get a sports car though, then you’ll _have_ to keep it in the garage.”

“That’s true.” Jasper admitted. “If I get a van though, might look sketchy. But I’m thinking if I can one then I can have David paint it. He’s gotten better. Have you seen his last work yet?”

Daniel hummed, “The one from last week?”

“Nah, he finished this one a couple days ago.”

“I haven’t then.”

David interrupted, “I can show you after the trip.”

“After?” Daniel asked.

“I still need to do some touch-ups…”

“It’s okay to admit you’re impatient.” Daniel smiled, “Are you going to paint while up there?”

“I thought about it, but considering I’m going to be babysitting for three months straight, I doubt I’ll find the time. Packed my camera though!”

“Don’t let those brats break it.” Jasper said. “And tell Cameron that I miss him.”

“I will. I swear he needs to visit us one of these days… Well, I think that’s it. Daniel, do you wanna get your things and put them in the back?”

“Sure thing.” Daniel said, walking around to the front of his car and getting his few bags from the front trunk, watching David hug Jasper goodbye. He double checked to make sure his car was locked and then placed the items in the trunk of the station wagon before slamming it shut. David slightly jumped from the sound and then gave a relieving smile. 

“Ready?” Daniel asked. “Are you driving first, or me?”

“I am, I still haven’t shown you which way we’re taking on the map, besides, you’re the night owl.” 

“Got it.”

As David was already in the driver’s seat checking the fuel gauge, Jasper put a hand on Daniel’s shoulder before he could open the passenger door.

“Take care of him.” Jasper said. “Try to keep him occupied. His uncle is a good guy but David takes his words to heart, and he’s not exactly the sensitive type. Just keep an eye out, yeah?”

“Of course. Any other advice I should know about before meeting him?” Daniel asked with his grip still on the handle but looking at the other male directly.

“With Campbell? Nah, not that I can think of. He might not even notice you. But good luck with the kids, they’ll probably drive you wild.”

“Yeah, well, see you again in a few months.”

“Take care.”

He got in the car and put his seatbelt on, exhaling.

“Are you okay?” David asked.

“I’m fine.”

“Nervous?”

“Do I seem anxious?”

“Tad bit. But you _are_ going to be meeting the man who raised me. So technically my dad. And we’ll be responsible for a group of kids all season…”

“Wait, both of us?”

David gave a light laugh, “Well yeah, did you think this was just a summer vacation?”

“I assumed I wasn’t going to be doing much hands-on work. Moreso watch from the sidelines as support.”

“You will for the most part. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.”

“This was just an elaborate plan on seeing if I’m good with kids, isn’t it?” Daniel asked.

“Maybe.” David grinned. 

He finally started the car since Jasper was still standing there waiting to say his final farewell, and they were burning daylight with each minute they spent stationary despite it being around eleven in the morning. Once pulled out of the driveway David rolled the window down to wave and say goodbye and Jasper did it back. Daniel gave a simple nod, not caring too much whether or not Jasper saw. 

“Should we roll the windows down?” David asked with his eyes on the road as he started to drive.

“If you want, most of the drive should be sunny.”

“At least till we head north. It rains so much in Washington, even in the summer.”

Daniel rolled his window down as he replied, “It’d be nice to be in a convertible. Maybe I should invest in one.”

“I want Jasper to get one but he keeps mentioning a van so I can paint it. Which you’ve seen my art, it’s not that special.”

“You say that about everything you do. Which is completely false, by the way.”

“Uh huh.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Daniel asked, changing the subject.

“What do you mean?”

“Aren’t we taking the interstate?”

“They haven’t finished it yet.” David explained. 

“I mean, most of it is done.”

“I’m just gonna take the way I already know. Besides, the views are nicer on the smaller roads.”

“Okay, I just hope you don’t get us lost.”

“I’m more concerned _you’ll_ get us lost if we’re taking turns driving.”

“I have a natural sense of direction.” Daniel said, looking into the glovebox at David’s cassettes. “What are we going to listen to on this trip?”

“Nothing yet, save them for when the radio signal fades out.”

“Got it.” Daniel said, closing it. “Do you think we’ll get there by tomorrow?”

“Hope so. Would you be able to handle an all-nighter?”

“Probably not the smart idea, but if I have coffee I could attempt it.”

“Will it get in the way of your first meeting with my uncle?”

“Might be pissy, yeah. Either that or I’ll be so groggy that I’ll slur my words together… Do you have a main plan?”

“For what?”

“Activities to keep the kids busy.” Daniel said while looking out the window. “Where we’ll be sleeping. That sort of thing. You haven’t given me any details.”

“We’ll probably stop by my uncle’s house first, but we’ll be staying in a cabin together.”

“No one else?” Daniel turned his head towards him.

“Nope, I don’t think so.”

“Okay, I can deal with that at least.” He looked forward to the road.

“For activities,” David continued, “We’ll probably do a lot of hiking, swimming, sports, crafts… Oh and lots of campfires, so prepare for smelling like smoke all the time.”

“Is there indoor plumbing?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. It’s a nice place. It’s more like a lodge? You’ve seen the pictures.”

Daniel hummed, “Just hope they don’t get on my nerves.”

“I can’t say that they won’t. I doubt I’ll know any of them. Not too many kids return consecutively until they turn eighteen. My last visit was in ‘74. Even then though, I didn’t meet the children, just visited my uncle at his place for a week and left. I was going to visit last year but then--” He stopped abruptly as if he was going to let something slip without thinking it through. Then he went on with a vague continuation after a long pause, “...I wasn’t feeling up to it.”

Daniel didn’t push it, instead mentioned not visiting his own family after the move. Eventually their discussions dimmed down as the radio was turned on, eventually leaving them silent. They talked a lot again in the evening before their next stop, deciding whether or not they were going to drive all night or stop at a motel. Daniel said he’d go ahead and make the drive, stating that if he really got tired he could simply pull over and sleep in the car. So by nightfall they reached a gas station to fuel up, and Daniel went inside to get a coffee as well. 

Seeing the rows of cigarettes tempted him as he stood there waiting for his change for the drink and gasoline. He anxiously tapped his finger against the counter, seeming impatient to the man behind the counter. The few cents were handed back but before he could leave the cashier stopped him with a question.

“You dealin’ with withdrawals?” He asked in a thick Boston accent.

“Is it really your business to be asking?” Daniel retorted. 

“Well, no, but--”

“I am. Why did you ask? To be nice? Or are you just trying to get something out of me?”

“N-no, it’s not that. I mean, yeah, just makin’ conversation.”

Daniel set the drink back down on the counter, “What are you suggesting?” He finally studied the man’s rough presentation of himself, with his stubble and stained shirt. He had brown hair and piercing green eyes however.

_‘Too old.’_ Daniel thought out of instinct. Although he hadn’t gone out of his way to seek victims for over a year, his internal radar remained intact, a constant bother he couldn’t turn off.

The man gestured for him to lean forward so he did.

“I can get you what you need.” The man offered.

Daniel finally noticed his nametag, “What do you mean by that, Kevin?”

“Stuff to help with your withdrawals.” He whispered.

“No thanks.”

“What? Are you sure?” Kevin asked. “I got cheap prices.”

Daniel straightened his back and spoke at a normal volume, “I’m not a drug addict.”

Kevin panicked for a split second, “Keep your voice down!”

“Who’s gonna hear? The government?”

“Look, I got acid, three dollars per hit, how about it?” He smiled.

Daniel asked the same question he did with Cal when he first trusted him without an ID, “What makes you think I’m not a cop?”

Except this guy didn’t have the confidence that Cal had, his smile dropped and he gave him a look of fear, ready to either bolt or beg.

“I’m not.” Daniel reassured. “But you should be smarter about who you give offers to.”

The tenseness from his shoulders relaxed as he sighed, “I am, I thought you were an addict because of the nervous tick you got there… Besides it’s not easy makin’ money in this area when no one comes in.”

“I see.”

Kevin looked out the window over to the station wagon where David was waiting, “Is he with you?”

“Why?”

“Nothing.” He looked back to the blonde, “Do you want any or not?”

Daniel didn’t have to say anything, just make the simple action of getting his wallet back out from his pocket, signalling Kevin to go retrieve the drugs from a room in the back. Daniel gazed at David outside and they met eyes, David making a questioned gesture of why he was taking so long and Daniel simply shrugged back. Kevin came back, asking how many tabs he wanted.

“We’ll go with four. Where’d you get this anyways?”

“A magician never reveals his secrets.” Kevin said as he peeled a four-squared section off what looked like a sheet of stickers before putting them in a ziploc bag.

Daniel put a total of twelve dollars on the counter. “Can’t be that much of a secret. Oh, and get me a pack of Marlboros.” He added extra cash to the pile. 

“Honestly I don’t know myself,” He got the pack off the shelf and handed it over, “A friend of a friend. But I’ve taken these myself so I know they work.” 

They made the simple transaction right before David walked in, both of them looking over to him as he awkwardly smiled.

“Hi.” David said, then looked over to Daniel. “Are you ready? You’ve been taking a while.”

“Yeah,” Daniel came up with an instant excuse, “Sorry, I had him check the back to see if they had a certain candy, forgot they just discontinued it.”

“Oh? What candy?”

He made something up, “Oh some type gum from France. Not important.” 

David gave him another quizzical expression but he grabbed his coffee and guided David out of the gas station back to the car, cigarettes and LSD hidden in his pockets. It was Daniel’s turn to drive since David had opted out, ready to pass out in the passenger side. The radio was turned down to let him sleep and that was when it started to get dull. The last long road trip Daniel had was his move to Los Angeles, a ride that took over thirty hours, but at least for that he spaced it out by sleeping at night. The amount of trees that filled both sides of the road increased the closer they reached the border of Oregon. It was around nine and David was in a deep sleep as they were about an hour from the state welcome sign. 

Despite the stereo being completely off, Daniel tapped his finger against the wheel as if he were tapping to the beat of music. He should have rented or bought an audiobook, he thought too late. The car was going thirty due to the turns on a forest trail as the elevation increased. Like a flash of déjà vu, a figure ran in front of the headlights before he could hit the brakes. The impact jolted David awake and he was about to keep driving but David forced him to stop the car.

“Wait! Stop!”

“It already happened, David.”

“It might still be alive!”

Daniel slowed the car to a halt and David gave him a certain look.

“Please.” David said.

Daniel sighed and opened the car door, “I’ll take care of it.”

“Thank you…”

He opened the trunk and David turned around.

“What are you doing?” David asked.

“Finding a flashlight.” He replied, picking one up along with a knife without the other male seeing. Once the trunk was shut he walked along the road while shining the light around to find the body. Against the side of the road he found a dog squealing in pain, unexpectedly once it saw Daniel approaching it and started wagging its tail against the asphalt as if it was hopeful of being helped.

David hopped out of the car groggily without shutting the door behind him and walked to where Daniel was crouched down. 

“Is it o--” David was cut off by the fast motion of Daniel’s arm as it slit the throat of the animal in front of them.

Instead of turning around, Daniel gripped onto the collar to drag it off the edge of the road. He tossed it over and then wiped the blade of his knife against his shirt before closing it and then sliding it into his pocket while approaching the other male.

“What?” Daniel asked in reply to David’s look of dismay. 

“That was someone’s pet...”

“It didn’t have a tag, just the collar. Look, accidents happen. But now it’s not in pain at least.”

“But Daniel…”

The blonde walked past him unphased,

“I took care of it. Now come on. Get back in the car.”

  
  
  
  
  
  



	21. Camp Arrival

Sometime around eight in the morning, Daniel loudly honked the car horn to wake David up. The ginger flinched and then sighed, closing his eyes again with a groan.

“What is it?” David mumbled.

“We’re almost there. I need you to help me find this place. I have no clue where I’m going now.” 

“To my uncle’s house first…” David yawned and opened his eyes. “Didn’t I mark it on the map?”

“Yeah but I can’t really look at the map while driving anymore. Too many turns here. Besides, I don’t know what I’m looking for. Is it a cabin? A suburban house? No clue.”

“Okay, okay.” 

“And put the cassette in, please. I’ve been sitting in silence alone with my thoughts all night.”

David barely remembered last night, besides the gas station stop taking unusually long and the dog incident. He wondered if Daniel was referencing guilt to what he did to the poor creature before they set off again.

David didn’t dwell on it too long, and instead got the tape first, sliding it in and turning the volume up to hear the distinct piano of Lake Shore Drive. After the lyrics kicked in, he stretched and sat up straight, looking out the window to get a sense of his surroundings. “Oh, we’re way closer than I thought... Wait,” The realization finally struck David, “Did you get any sleep?”

“Nope. Do I turn here?”

“No, keep going straight. You’ll see an old bike by the stop sign before you make a right. It’s the only house up that hill.”

“What if the bike’s not there?”

“Always has been. It’s overgrown with vines so no one’s been bothered to move it for years...” As they approached it, David pointed it out, “Here.”

They stopped at the sign with the bike leaning up against it, tarnished so badly that it had no original paint, only the russet stains of corroded metal. Daniel made the right turn up the steep curved hill until the house came into view beyond the cluster of fir and pine trees. The house was surprisingly bigger than Daniel had expected, as he assumed it would be more along the lines of a small cabin. However it was larger than his and David’s houses combined from the looks of it. 

Despite not being a cabin it was still made up of mostly wood, sanded down and set in slim diagonal stacks like the similar wooden paneling that had become quite common for indoors. The windows were wide but tinted, so only the reflection of close branches could be seen as if they were one-way mirrors, such as the one he remembered staring into two years ago when he was dragged in by the police for questioning. To that day he was still amazed that he got away with what he did.

As they drove up the long driveway, David undid his seat belt in anticipation, holding the door handle to jump out when the car came to a complete stop. Daniel locked the door however before he could get out.

“I have to ask you something.” Daniel said seriously.

David looked at him concerned, finally noticing the dark circles under his eyes, “What is it?”

Daniel sighed, “...Do you think he’ll like me?”

They silently stared at each other before David broke into a quick burst of laughter, “Geez, you had me scared. Of course he’ll like you!.. I think.” David unlocked the door and got out, finally stretching after the cramped space that ached his limbs.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

“God, smell that fresh air!” David exclaimed, ignoring the blonde. “I missed it up here. Completely different atmosphere. It’s like I can finally breathe.” He walked towards the back of the car to look out at the scenery.

Daniel got out as well, approaching David to ask him again but then the other male ran up the steps to the front door. 

“David!” He shouted, before letting out yet another sigh. By the time he got to the front porch, the door was opened before he could even ask his question. 

It wasn’t that he would take it personally if he was disliked by Campbell, but knowing the circumstances, three months of being around a man who hated him, possibly more than Jasper, seemed like it’d be complete hell. Mainly because of the possibility of getting in the way of his and David’s intimacy until the end of summer. He still had no idea what to expect, and in certain circumstances, the unpredictable was thrilling, but not this time. Especially with the lack of sleep.

The man at the doorway was extremely tall, a burly build and standing at least six feet, but Daniel could tell it was a few inches over that, considering he was almost six foot himself. Fortunately his intimidating structure was overweighed by his gigantic grin as he saw his nephew. 

“Davey! You came early!” He exclaimed with a low pitched voice that matched his physicality. The older man took a hold of David, hugging him while giving a rough, playful noogie against his skull that further messed up his bed hair. 

“Awww, I can’t believe you really wanted to see me that badly.” Campbell continued. “You’re still as short as ever!”

“I’m not even short!” David complained through a smile.

“And who’s this?” He said, letting go of the younger male to switch his focus on Daniel. “This the new friend you keep mentioning?” 

Daniel put his arm out to shake hands, “My name is Dan--” He was interrupted by the abrupt movement of his palm being grabbed and yanked, causing his whole body to involuntarily jerk forward into the man’s tight embrace. Thankfully it was short, only a few seconds that could have been counted on one hand, then he was let go of as fast as he was pulled in.

“Well Dan, it’s great to finally meet you. David’s run his mouth about you, and frankly I zoned out through about at least eighty percent of it so forgive me if I don’t recall something important.”

“No offense taken.” Daniel said. “And it’s Daniel, by the way.” 

“Ah that’s right. You know, I knew a lad with that name before. Old coworker, a weird one, ended up going to jail for touching a kid...” He gave a short hum of thought before immediately perking up again, “Anyways! Have you been up north before?”

The immediate switch to a lighthearted question didn’t give either of them time to dwell on the implications, if there were any. Campbell didn’t seem like he carried any prejudice, at least not outwardly.

“No, not on the west coast.” Daniel answered, then thought about his few rounds of seeking victims back in the day, the few times he drove out of California out of short-term paranoia of being tracked, “Drove around in some of the southwestern states a bit but not long enough to hang around. Drove across the whole damn country to move to Los Angeles three years ago.”

“Well I’m sure David has told you how much nicer it is up here. Less smog.”

“It’s better though! You’ve seen it yourself. Ever since the Clean Air Act.” David said optimistically.

“Yeah, yeah. Still a horrid place. You should move up here. Help me run the camp annually.”

“Hey, you’re the one who made us move south in the first place! Besides, I’d have to see the appeal first before dedicating that much to a job.”

“I guarantee you’ll love it as much as you did as a kid. Hell, probably even more! Might even hire your friend here if he gets the job done well enough. I see potential in you. Both of you.”

“We’ll think about it.” David said, mostly just to end the topic. “Should we head over to the campgrounds now?” 

“Wait, is the camp already open?” Daniel asked.

“Yeah,” Campbell said. “I was about to head on over in an hour. A friend is watching the kids right now, but they’re probably all asleep still.”

“Seems like you’re lacking.” David teased. “When I went to camp, we got up at six sharp, right at sunrise. Every single day.”

“A little bit of leniency never killed anyone, Davey. Besides, I’m old. It’s not my job to wake up at six every day, it’s yours now.” He glanced at Daniel. “Although this one looks like he’s been up since midnight.”

“Oh it was much earlier than that.” Daniel said, rubbing his eyes. “Try six in the morning, _yesterday.”_

“Geez kid, get some sleep. David, don’t let him drive anymore than he has, that’s a safety hazard. Can’t have my brand new counselors dying on the first day.”

“I can probably handle another hour for introductions. Maybe longer if I have another coffee. But yeah, I’m definitely not opposed to a nap soon.”

“Well I have coffee inside, we can have breakfast first and head over depending how fast you boys can scarf down food. Just don’t throw it back up.” 

They obviously didn’t turn down the offer, coming inside the spacious indoors and allowing Campbell to fix them a meal of bacon and eggs, along with both water and coffee. 

“I’d make pancakes or something but I’m all out of sugar. So I hope you don’t mind your coffee black.” Campbell said as he poured the dark liquid. 

“I’m completely fine with that.” Daniel replied, just thankful he had caffeine to keep him going a bit longer. “So is this where David grew up?”

“Not the house.” He said. “The house is quite new, retirement funds and all that. David grew up in a quite smaller place. Same area though.”

“Yeah and I barely stepped foot in it since we only came up here in the summer.” David explained. “I hope my house is this big when I retire.”

Daniel took a small note of that as he took a drink of the coffee before rinsing out the bitter taste with the side glass of water. They ate while Campbell asked a few casual questions, but nothing too interrogative like Jasper did. Campbell seemed like a kind man, but a bit self-centered. It didn’t seem like he meant to be, or if he was even aware of it, but Daniel could tell he wasn’t too intrigued to hear the answers to his own questions. Daniel was starting to see the situation more in the reality that David probably didn’t see either, whether he was in denial or really just didn’t see the fact that his uncle was simply using him for work. Sure, Campbell seemed like he genuinely liked David, but not enough to have him visit for three months to simply spend time together as family. Another situation where David was simply being used for others personal gain. Pitiful.

_‘I wonder how much he’s going to pay us.’_ Daniel thought on the car ride to the camp. _‘If he pays us anything at all.’_

Daniel ended up falling asleep on the passenger side since David had listened to his uncle’s order. David half wanted to let him sleep in since he obviously needed it, the poor thing had stayed up over twenty four hours for him. Although Jasper was always a great friend to have on road trips, especially due to the nostalgia, it was refreshing to have Daniel with him instead this time. 

_‘He’s so sweet.’_ David thought as he struggled to have the heart to wake the blonde. He undid their seat belts, but as he reached over for Daniel’s, a tight grip landed on his arm and the blue-irised, bloodshot eyes stared at him. David’s heart was pounding in his chest from fear, only settling when the hold let go and Daniel sighed.

“I’m assuming we’re there?” Daniel asked, eyes back closed instead of seeing for himself.

David paused before responding with a light ‘yeah’, leaning back in his own seat. “Do you want to do introductions with the kids tomorrow? I can unpack and you can sleep in the cabin. I can handle them for today.”

Daniel didn’t reply right away so David almost tried to wake him up again but was cut off by the late response.

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want you overexerting yourself. I already feel bad convincing you to drive all night. Can I at least get you anything?”

“I’m fine.” He reassured as he got out of the car. His tone wasn’t as light as it usually was, obviously he was in a sour mood, but arguing was never David’s strong suit. The two of them started carrying stuff to their cabin which was unfortunately smaller than Daniel had expected. He didn’t know why he expected a double sided mattress since it was a camp and they were meant to be coworkers. Instead they had a bunk bed, which was worse than regular separate beds. They wouldn’t even be able to face each other while saying good night. Daniel put his main bag full of essentials on the bottom mattress and David immediately hummed.

“What?” Daniel asked.

“Do you mind if I get the bottom?”

“No, are you that scared of heights?”

David smiled, “No. It’s just that I always got the top when me and Jasper camped. I wanna switch it around this time.”

Daniel lifted his bag up, “Feel free.” Instead of crawling up to the ladder he put the bag down by the wall and sat down in a swivel chair by a desk on the other side of the room. “At least we have a mini fridge.” He commented.

“Definitely made improvements since last time.” David added as he began to unpack his clothes and place them in the closet. 

Daniel was too tired to put away his things, opting to close his eyes again instead. His body was practically forcing him to do it but it only made it more torturous when he was forced to reopen them. David had gotten dressed in a camp uniform while he was resting his eyes, which usually he would have felt more upset about missing out on that, but the power of exhaustion overwhelmed his usual state of mind. He didn’t care about it, even if David was being overly adorable while spinning around as if he was a young girl wearing a long skirt. He was overly excited to start but Daniel was already dreading the interactions. Hearing loud screeching children seemed like it would push him over the edge all over again.

He sat there contemplating if he should skip the intros or not as David continued talking to himself. He was forced to give an answer when David repeated the questions again out loud.

“Are you coming along to meet the kids? Or are you going to rest up?” 

The blonde stared at the wall before making up his mind, “Yeah, I’ll at least stay for a few minutes.”

“Good. I won’t force you to wear your uniform yet, but expect it tomorrow.” 

_‘Uniform? You mean I have to dress like that too? Jesus Christ.’_ He thought in distaste. The loose T-shirt tucked beneath tight shorts fit David perfectly but he didn’t look forward to matching like that. Having complimentary couple outfits was one thing, but dressing up like identical twins was another. Yet it reminded him that he had to play along to the platonic expectations to hide their affair as well. For three. Whole. Months.

  
  


Getting up again gave an unpleasant rush to his head as he followed David along to the mess hall where the kids were having their late breakfast. The structure of the main building was extravagant due to size alone, but the woodwork made a real impression with its detailed carvings of perfectly symmetric patterns along the walls. The giant indoor totem poles of woodland creatures stood almost as tall as the ceiling, glaring down at them as they walked along. Daniel didn’t really consider himself the spiritual type despite his upbringings, but even he could tell the totem poles seemed artificial, manufactured for mass production rather than at the skilled hands of indigenous tribes from the region. _Soulless,_ was the only word he could think of when glancing up at their blank eyes. However, despite the fact they lacked individuality, they were decently crafted nonetheless.

Given how big the main building was including the long dinner table, the amount of seats taken was an understatement. David seemed surprised by it as well, giving a look to his uncle for an explanation.

Campbell spoke softly, “Let’s just say business has been slow.” 

“This is almost less than half of the amount of kids we used to have.” David said. “Starting out we had less but still, it grew. What happened?”

“Kids these days are glued to their televisions.” Campbell excused. “Besides, it’s hard to keep advertising with all the new renovations. But they’ll come back around. In fact, most of these kids are brand new. All besides one. I bet you can spot him too.”

They both scanned the tired eyes at the table until an obvious outlier stood out; a wide alert redheaded boy that looked to be around thirteen years old, already in uniform with an empty plate, sitting with a perfect posture. 

“He reminds me a lot like how you were as a boy,” Campbell said as he patted David on the back, “Which is good to an extent, but he’s a bit too reliant on authoritative appraisal. He’s only a good leader if someone tells him to be. He’ll grow up to be a good CEO, but never the big boss.” He gave a small chuckle to himself as he walked over to the table to slam a fist down to get the children’s attention to scare them awake.

_‘Yep, there it was.’_ Daniel thought. _‘What Jasper warned about.’_

He looked at David to see if the backhanded compliment had affected him, if he noticed it. David bit his lip in quick contemplation as he rubbed one of his fists with the thumb from the other hand, but looked back up when his uncle started talking to the kids. It was just a quick explanation of who David and Daniel were and to listen to them before he walked away without any explanation for the new authority figures themselves. Campbell rushed out before David could snap out of his slight daze to call out to him, leaving them with an awkward silence.

David looked to Daniel for some reassurance but the male had already closed his eyes again, with arms crossed and head down like he was asleep standing up. None of the eyes were on him except that of the boy who Campbell pointed out earlier. David cleared his throat before speaking to them with a smile to hide his nerves.

“I’m David, as you may know by now. Mr. Campbell is my uncle, which you may also know by now… Uhh…” He looked to Daniel to see if his eyes were open. “This is my boy-- I mean my partner, uh, I meant… Yeah, you know, like partners in crime.” He made two finger guns while making soft ‘pew pew’ sounds before laughing painfully awkwardly. “Daniel, why don’t you introduce yourself?” 

Silence.

“Daniel?” He asked again.

The only boy paying attention finally spoke, revealing silver braces as he asked the simple question, “Is he okay?”

“I’m _fine.”_ Daniel answered on his own, lower voice than normal. His bloodshot eyes opened and landed on the boy’s before David asked him again to introduce himself. With eyes still locked on the yellowish irises staring back, he answered, “I’m a close friend of David’s, but this is my first time here at…”

“Camp Campbell.” David reminded.

“--...First time being a counselor as well, or working for kids in general, a matter of fact.” His gaze finally fixated on the group as a whole, all of them finally looking up from their plates as he carried out his next set of words, “But don’t let that fool you, I’m definitely not the one to pull your pranks on. You’ll absolutely regret it.” 

David glanced at him nervously. He managed a smile to lessen his intimidation and crack a small joke in a loud whisper while hiding his mouth from David’s vision, “Save that for the other guy.” He pointed at his now-coworker. 

The kids finally smiled back which lifted some of the tension from David’s shoulders, but he gestured with both hands in front of his chest in a surrendering manner despite shaking them like jazz hands, “How about we don’t do _any_ pranks? Not on the counselors at least, please.” 

“What he means by that, is don’t go too far. Killing David is off limits. Severely hurting David, also off limits..” Daniel said to make some of the kids laugh.

“How about no hurting David at all!” He exclaimed. “No pranks. We’ll stick to activities.”

“...Whoever does the most hilarious prank on David by the end of summer gets free ice cream.” Daniel said with a smug grin.

A couple of the boys cheered while David gasped, looking at his partner in betrayal. 

“Alright then, best prank done on Daniel earns the winner a…” He hummed. “What _is_ better than ice cream?”

“Okay, I got it. Instead of three months, we’ll make it till Fourth of July. Team David you’ll all get ice cream and popsicles… But, side with me and I’ll treat you to fireworks.”

“Do we get to light them ourselves?” One of the boys asked, blue eyes glaring behind black curls before he pushed them out of his view.

“How old are you?” Daniel asked. “No one under twelve.”

“Make it ten.”

“Alright, no one under ten.”

David interrupted, “You’re _not_ lighting fireworks yourselves!”

“Well then I’m team Daniel all the way.” The boy said, already convinced. “How does ranking work?”

David looked at the blonde beside him, “Wait, we’re only joking though right?”

“We’ll do a democracy. Voting.” Daniel said.

“Oh no.” David said.

“Oh yes.” The blonde said with a smile. “It’ll be fun. At least for me it will be… Well, I will get to names and faces later, I need a nap first... And remember kids, take it easy on him.” Daniel patted David on the back in a similar way that Campbell did before leaving the room, letting the other male handle the rest for that afternoon with newly motivated, rambunctious kids. 

  
  
  
  



	22. Hike

The bunk bed shifted beneath him for the third time since he had woken up at around two in the morning. A nap ended up being more like a small coma, which meant by the time he had finally gotten up, everyone was asleep, leaving him alone for the next three hours with nothing to do. Although he considered getting up to explore until sunrise, he had only gotten up once to use the bathroom and had immediately returned to the top bunk where he waited while letting his imagination run wild. By five, the sun began to show just barely outside through the translucent green fabric. He considered waking up David, especially after the fourth movement of the bed underneath as the male rolled over. He wasn’t sure if David had an alarm yet or not, or if there was some weird camp tradition of a horn or bell to get everyone up. _‘No, if there were one I wouldn’t doubt one of us would be in charge of that.’_ He thought.

A few more minutes had passed and David woke up with the room still dark, no sign of a roommate until Daniel whispered from above.

“Did you just wake up?” He asked.

“Yeah…” David murmured.

“Well don’t fall back asleep, I’ve been up here bored out of my mind for hours.” 

David yawned, “You could have gone outside, you know.”

“Yeah but wasn’t sure if anywhere was off limits or whatever. Besides I don’t think that would have been fun by myself after the first hour.” He hopped off the top bunk without using the ladder, “What’s the plan for today, boy scout?”

“I tried to come up with activities before the kids went to bed. Most of their answers didn’t fit the criteria but there’s a few on there that seemed decent to use.”

Daniel took a hold of the clipboard on the table with David’s scribbled handwriting, “Criteria you say? I’m guessing my firework idea doesn’t fit that huh?”

“I can’t believe you did that still. I already had one of them trip me after you left. Nonetheless, it did get them to warm up to me. So, thank you, sort of. If I survive the next month.” He finally sat up in bed to properly stretch, despite the wooden planks close to his head.

“I’m guessing you showed them around without me.” 

“They knew the landscape before we arrived. At least camp, not the trails. I can either give you a personal tour before they wake up or…” He gave another yawn. “You can explore yourself. Or look at a map. Whichever.”

Daniel turned around and placed his hands on the safety bar on the top bunk, looking down at his partner, “What’s in the personal tour?”

“Nothing you’re probably hinting at.” He smiled. “What time did you get up?”

“Two. It’s five now.”

“I see,” David said, leaning to the side to glance at the clock, “Well, I would if you moved out of the way.”

Daniel pushed him back lightly and got in the small space on top of him, “I missed you.” He started kissing his jawline to his neck, “I wanted to wake you up earlier.”

“Good, you shouldn’t have.” David nudged him away, “We have to get ready.”

“What? Is this against the criteria as well?”

“Yes! Actually! Come on now, get off. Your uniform is on the chair.”

Daniel gave a groan, “It’s so not my style. How about I wear nothing?” 

“I’m not fooling around with you this early.”

Daniel sighed, “Later then?”

“No!” David nudged him again, still in a playful manner yet serious, “For the next three months we can’t be intimate. We can talk and stuff here, but nothing physical. Not like that.”

“No one’s even around.” Daniel excused despite backing off.

“Well, you never know when someone might be.” He sat back up. “Kids are… They don’t know personal space... I can’t risk them finding out.”

“I’ll have to find someplace private then.” The blonde said as he stood up again.

“No, Daniel.” He finally said without smiling. “As much as I’d love to, this isn’t about that.” The smile quickly resumed, “Think of this as a family thing. Like we’re taking care of our own kids.”

“So this _is_ a parenting trick… Kids aren’t all that, you know? Maybe babysitting is fine, but having your own is a nightmare. If we adopt I hope they make it legal _after_ I’m old enough to have erectile dysfunction, if you’re going to ban sex from the household just because of kids.”

“I can’t believe you, just get dressed!” David laughed. “I’m serious. It won’t be that bad, I promise.”

“Fine, fine.” 

The two of them got ready without any further messing around, the same routine as they always had during sleepovers. Except this time, Daniel had to take a moment to look in the bathroom mirror at the ridiculous getup he was forced to wear. 

“You look great!” David exclaimed like a proud mother on her son’s first day of school. He walked over to tuck in the green shirt and Daniel stopped him from doing so.

“I’ll wear it, on my own terms, or criteria.” He referenced. It reminded him of a question he should have asked before they were about to head out the door, “What are the camp rules anyways? Am I not allowed to curse?”

“Definitely try to avoid it. But it’s just basic school rules, you know? The kids behave and follow our lead, be kind to each other, treat nature with respect, that sort of thing… It’ll be like we’re teachers.”

“You’re really going off a wing here, aren’t you?” Daniel asked, taking off his shorts to switch them out for a pair of jeans. David ignored the action and answered him instead.

“Well Campbell didn’t leave us a guidebook. He really should have though. I feel like this really is just a babysitting gig.” David grabbed the clipboard and pencil off the desk. “I’m counting on you to break the ice again if I get awkward. You seemed to do better with them in the first five minutes than I did spending the entire day with them.”

“Trust me, I have no clue what I’m doing either. I’ve never set foot on a campsite until yesterday.”

“I know, but you’re better at dealing with things in general. It’s like even if you’re under the pressure of the entire world on your shoulders, you still manage to keep your cool. I could only be carrying one person’s weight and I’d get frustrated and give up, or end up sobbing. I don’t know how you do it.”

_‘Oh how wrong you are, David.’_ Daniel thought. He shrugged it off though, “Let’s just say I’m a lot more stressed than I show.”

“That’s my point though. Even if you want to give way to stress, you just wait it out. You handle it first.”

“You’ll be fine.” Daniel reassured. “I’m here to help obviously, but you’ll be fine on your own. I’m sure of it. Now let’s go, it’s almost six.”

The kids were woken up after David used a trumpet, which Daniel had no clue where he even got it from. They all got ready and had breakfast, the two counselors sitting along with coffee on the side. A couple of the boys murmured to each other but overall they were quiet until they went back outside to begin their first real activity. First came stretching, David was insistent on that, then he had them fill up water bottles.

“What are we doing?” Daniel asked him as he got a small backpack for a first aid kit while the kids were getting their water from a hose.

“I figured a small hike would be best. They barely know each other yet, you don’t even know their names, and frankly I don’t have a strict plan.”

“We could start off with a game.”

“Are you suggesting or offering?”

“Just a suggestion.”

“Later then. I have something to show you anyways.” He put the backpack on and went back to the kids to start the hike through the forest on an overgrown trail. He pointed out certain birds they heard and the types of trees and bushes native to the state. Daniel was learning as well, not ever having been to the Northwest before. Some of the kids were naturally more quiet but some clung to his side, talking his ear off about themselves and what they liked, specifically one who had a love for astronomy, going on about the moon landing after the others had gone silent.

“Yeah, I was born during the Apollo 11 mission. My dad was in space. He brought me back a space rock and I keep it on my desk at home.” The boy bragged.

The kid who said he would side with Daniel the other day, Max, spoke up to refute him, “No you weren’t. Are you really saying your dad is Neil Armstrong? I can believe your name is Neil but you’re not his kid.”

“Mr. Campbell can tell you otherwise, he spoke to him on the phone!”

“Tsk, you’re delusional.”

“Seriously! My birthday is September 13th! I’m nine years old. My mom said she got so stressed out that she went into early labor.”

“I believe the premature birth part.” Max muttered quiet enough so David couldn’t hear.

“That’s not what I said!”

Another kid piped up, named Harrison, “Wouldn’t that make you a Virgo? You don’t even act like one.”

“Zodiac signs aren’t even real. My dad says it's not real science. It’s just make-believe.” The other kid also named Neil said.

Max spoke again to the astronomy lover, “I bet your dad made up that lie just so you wouldn’t be disappointed that he wasn’t there at your birth. I bet it’s just a rock he found outside the hospital.”

David finally barged into the conversation, “Hey, that’s not nice to say. Whether or not his dad is an astronaut, you shouldn’t say stuff that mean.”

“Psh, well you’re in charge here, did you see his papers or whatever?”

“Uh, no, Mr. Campbell handles those things.”

“No proof then, Space-Kid.” Max said, appointing him a new nickname.

Space Kid shook his head and spoke to Daniel again, “Disbelievers will always try and prove you wrong, even the truth. Anyways--”

He was interrupted by Harrison, “How do you even know they got to the moon? What if it really was made up? I heard the Soviet Union got there first so we had to make it up.”

“What?! You can’t just say that! Are you a terrorist or something?! Of course we went to the moon! It was live television!”

“Makes it seem even more fake then. How the hell did they make it live from space?”

“David! Tell him!”

Instead Daniel defended him, “I think it’d be harder to fake a moon landing rather than actually get there. Do you know how many people would have to keep quiet about something like that? Hundreds. All of NASA would have to keep quiet.”

“Well they’ll probably spill soon.” Harrison said. “I bet the government threatened them with violence to stay silent. After president Nixon’s disloyalty to us, I believe it. He did it for the votes so he could be re-elected.”

“That doesn’t even make sense!” Space Kid exclaimed in frustration. “If anything, _you’re_ the unloyal one! How could you accuse your own people like that?!”

“Hey now, let’s calm down, okay?” David said. “Neil, it’s okay to question things. Harrison, you shouldn’t jump to conclusions.”

“But he’s denying proof--”

“Hey, David?” Another kid asked.

“Yes Edward?” David responded, ready to put the entire moon discussion aside.

It was the attentive yet shy ginger from yesterday that Daniel took notice to. Even though he seemed more comfortable, he held that nervous stance. 

He spoke softly to David, “I think it’s over there.”

“Oh. Oh! Yeah, it’s been awhile for me. Thank you. Will you watch the others real quick?” 

The boy nodded and David grabbed Daniel’s hand to guide him.

“Woah, we’re leaving them unsupervised?” Daniel asked. 

“Just for a minute.” 

David brought him to a small kids fort made of scrap metal and wooden planks nailed together. It was at least a few years old from the looks of it, rust and mold covering most of the surface. Above the entrance was a black tattered cloth that David gently lifted like a curtain. 

“What is this?” Daniel asked.

David gestured for him to step inside, “Get in.”

“Is it even big enough?”

“Should be.”

Daniel crouched down and crawled inside the cramped space that was obviously not meant for a grown person, let alone two. Yet David set his backpack down outside and got in next to him, sitting down where he turned on a flashlight that Daniel just noticed. He pointed it up at the tin roof above where a few plastic glow in the dark stars still stuck despite the long-term weathering. 

“They barely glow now, shame.” David remarked. “Me and Jasper set this up when we just became teenagers. Obviously it was way cooler back then, especially after leaving a lamp on at night to charge them.”

“Don’t you have the real thing right outside though?”

“Yeah, but this was like a secret hangout, you know? When Mr. Campbell would say something to upset me I’d run and hide here. Jasper would sneak me food from camp and sometimes we’d just have sleepovers away from everyone else. It became a small hideaway. We’d also bring books and comics to read, talk about the future. Who knew it would end up like this.” He glanced to Daniel with a smile, “I mean that in a good way.”

“Surprised there’s no spiders in here.” Daniel said unexpectedly.

“Oh, yeah, I hope not.”

“We can continue this later when the kids are asleep--”

“Wait.” David said. “Just a minute, okay?”

“David, we can’t leave them out there by themselves. You should know tha--”

He was cut off by a kiss out of the blue. Short-lived but Daniel did it back to keep it going for longer. With the timing and location it wasn’t the most convenient, but any opportunity was one he’d take, especially since David was the one to initiate it. Daniel held his face to hold him still as they made out, switching positions despite the lack of space to where the blonde was straddling him. 

“David I love y--”

Suddenly he was cut off by a hand over his mouth as David stared at him beneath. He looked at the other male in question. Did he want it or not?

“Let’s wait.” David said.

“Wait for what?”

David shifted away from him, clicking the flashlight off, “Like you said, later.”

Daniel smiled despite the slight irritation, “Well that was before you decided to--”

“Later!” David exclaimed as he got up and rushed out of the fort.

He made it so there was no time to grab his arm or shout for him, so he turned around and pushed the cloth aside, stepping out into the sunlight, but then became immediately drenched in cold water. Max, who held the bucket that they had filled with their own drinking water ran away to David who held a hand to his mouth to hide his smile. Max high fived him before turning to grin at Daniel.

“So, you decided to switch sides?” Daniel asked him.

“Don’t worry, I have worse saved for him.” Max said. “Couldn’t turn down this though.”

“Good one.” Daniel said with a smile, pushing his wet bangs out of the way. “David, can I have a word real quick?”

“You’re not mad are you?”

Daniel stepped towards him as the kids were already distracted with their small success, speaking in a quiet voice, “I’m not mad about the prank. But next time, don’t turn me on beforehand, please?”

David didn’t have to look down to know, but he did anyways and felt a hinge of secondhand embarrassment, “Do you need to…”

“I’ll head back to the cabin. A break doesn’t sound too bad anyways. But you’ll make up for this later, won’t you?”

He hummed, “I’ll consider it.”

“Good boy.” Daniel said, patting his shoulder lightly before leaving them.

Edward went up to David afterwards with a question, “Did we anger him?”

“No, he’s okay. He went to go get a dry set of clothes.” David excused. “But thank you for coming up with the idea, he’s hard to get caught off guard, that’s for sure.” He smiled before ruffling the boy’s hair. “We’ll keep hiking for a bit longer and go back for lunch.”

“Yes sir.”

  
  


While the others carried on in the other direction, Daniel was making his way back to camp, yet stopped due to the annoying friction of a problem he couldn’t simply think away. Not like this, not while he had been deprived of even kissing David for over a week, and he could barely recall the date of the last time they had sex. God, why did David do that to him? All for some childish prank that barely carried a real purpose. He could have been distracted any other way but David chose to do _that._

He walked off the trail and slumped down behind a tree to relieve his frustration. He’d make David pay for it later, he thought. Well, he hoped. David’s ‘consideration’ wasn’t a guarantee, he learned that after the past year. Many considerations were taken into account, and most of them ended in _‘I’m too tired tonight’, ‘I have a headache’, ‘I feel sick’, ‘perhaps next week’,_ or the most annoying of all, a stern, flat out _‘no’._ Every time David had used that type of assertiveness it made Daniel want to throw a fist into his face. _Every time, every time, every single time._

It almost happened before actually. David had promised one weekend, during one of the last weeks of law school. Daniel was cramming in last minute studying in order to pass his final exams flawlessly, barely getting any personal time let alone finding the motivation to eat normal meals. After all he had spent _seven whole years_ for that career, and he wasn’t going to settle for anything less than the highest score in his class. So during that period, any chance of blowing off steam was substantial. David promised beforehand, giving him a full week of something to look forward to. Only to call it off with one word that almost made him stoop as low as domestic violence. 

But he held back. Well, if you’d call it just that. His balled up fist was close to raising but Jasper had walked into the house at the right moment. There would have been no coming back from that if Jasper had witnessed firsthand. So for once the roommate’s presence was for the better. 

As he went through the works of moving his hand sensually yet sprightly, he looked up at the leaves above his head, attempting to think of the impossible. It simply never worked. He could try a million times to get off to something normal and never feel what he should have. 

Choosing to brush it aside he gave himself the mental room to give in to his usual fantasy, after all he really should have been hurrying up given the time and place. 

“Come on…” He whispered to himself. He held onto the bed of grass beneath him with one hand as the other kept up its constant movement. It was difficult given he had to rely on imagination in the first place rather than leftover tapes and magazines he abused, so he jerked his hips up into the air for effect, moaning David’s name as he heard the responsive cries in his head. 

Despite getting there, it was underwhelming. 

_‘As usual.’_ He thought to himself. He touched himself slower as he thought of what he was going to do once he returned to the cabin, deciding whether or not he would change clothes and return right away to David and the kids or give himself a longer break. 

Suddenly he heard something fall behind him and reacted before whatever animal or person it was could run off. To his surprise it was one of the children.

_‘Ahh, what was his name…’_

The boy stood up and hid behind the tree he was using as a shield from before to watch the past few minutes. Daniel made himself decent and stood up from his spot, speaking towards the boy.

“Edward, right? What are you doing away from the group?” Daniel asked.

Although his cover was blown and his loud breathing was audible despite the forest’s background symphony of birds and wind, the boy didn’t reply or look back.

The blonde decided to use the same approach he did with David when he was nervous about something.

“Don’t worry, I’m not mad. You aren’t in trouble.” He reassured.

Edward’s slight lisp seemed to be brought out under pressure as he replied hurriedly behind the trunk, “I-I didn’t mean to follow you I just was heading back to use the restroom. David said it was okay for me to go on my own. But I didn’t want to go in the wrong direction so I caught up to you and… I’m sorry, sir.”

Being called “sir” was amusing to Daniel for some reason, probably due to the fact that it was from a boy scout rather than people in a courtroom, the fact in general that he was posing as a camp counselor was still comedically surreal to him. He smiled and took a step forward.

“Mind showing yourself?”

“I-I don’t know…”

“Well what don’t you know?”

The boy glanced back at him to check if he had covered himself back up, only stepping out from his hiding after the confirmation, yet still avoiding direct eye contact with the man.

“Look at me.” Daniel ordered.

Edward’s hazel eyes with golden rings in the center stared up at him, darted away for a split second, and landed back onto his eyes again. The boy bit his lip nervously, revealing silver braces. 

“I didn’t mean to.” He repeated. 

“I didn’t ask whether or not you ‘meant’ to watch. I’d rather know why.”

“I was waiting till you were done so I could follow you back to camp so I didn’t get lost.” He explained again, looking down.

“I’m not quite convinced.”

“Huh?” He looked back up in surprise.

“The path is quite clear. A bit of overgrowth but not enough to lose track of it… Besides you seem brighter than the rest. Surely you wouldn’t get derailed if you were paying attention the first time around.”

Edward seemed stuck on his words, as if he wasn’t sure if what Daniel had said was accurate or not. It seemed like he wanted to defend himself but was scared of confronting authority.

“Why were you watching?” Daniel repeated again, shamelessly enjoying seeing the kid anxiously struggle to find an answer on his own.

After giving it some thought for a few seconds, he mumbled with a simple, “I was curious.”

“How old are you, Edward?”

“I’m almost thirteen. And I’d like to go by Pikeman, if that’s okay, sir.”

He guessed it was his last name since he hadn’t actually looked at the background files for the boys, but the reasoning for the preference he didn’t care for. 

“That’s a bit old for simple ‘curiosity’, Pikeman.”

“Sir, since you said I’m not in trouble, could we hurry back to camp?”

With that, Daniel put aside his teasing, really realizing the situation. He shouldn’t have been talking to a kid like that, he thought. Why’d he even do that? He mentally shook the implications away.

“Uh, yeah.” Daniel awkwardly replied. “Let’s go…” He brushed his hair back and walked past him to lead the way back to the campgrounds.

He hadn’t expected much conversation from the kid on the way there, but surprisingly the boy started to ask questions.

“You’re a lawyer right? Or at least going to be?” He asked, staring up at him as they walked.

Daniel kept his gaze ahead, “Yeah, did David tell you?”

“Yeah he told us about you since you weren’t there for introductions. He said both of you live in California too. I was supposed to go to Hollywood a year ago but my parents said there was a killer on the loose. But it stopped, so maybe this year if we’re lucky… Have you met anyone famous?”

“No.”

“Hm…” A minute of awkward silence passed before Pikeman started again, “... Do you like David?”

He had to stop himself from saying an answer too obvious, “Uh, yeah, he’s cool. We’ve been good friends for a long time.”

“How’d you meet?”

Daniel sighed, “I simply saw him walk by one day near the beach and struck up a conversation.”

“David told us you got arrested on accident. Is that true?”

“He shouldn’t have told you that… But yeah.”

“What for?”

“Simple miscommunication.”

“Do you love David?”

Daniel became silent, having a hard time with such a simple lie. It was like his brain wouldn’t even let him say it mentally. 

“You ask a lot of questions. I expected you to be more of the silent type.”

“I am when I’m with the others… They talk over me. It’s annoying… But now that it’s just us…” He was watching his feet as they passed over a fallen log, now behind the man instead of next to him. “...Why’d you say his name when he wasn’t there?”

He stopped dead in his tracks so Pikeman bumped into his back. He turned around and looked at the boy,

“Do you--…” _‘Don’t ask him that.’_ “--...Do you really not know what I was doing?” _‘Fuck.’_

He felt like hitting himself after letting that slip out. 

Pikeman’s gaze strayed from his eyes, “Not really…”

_‘What kind of answer is that? You either do or don’t.’_ Daniel thought. _‘Well, I guess I was the same way…’_ For him growing up, he knew it existed, but it was deemed as unhealthy. Not explicitly forbidden, but definitely not talked about enough in a positive manner. Of course, he soon ignored his parents’ taboo teachings and did whatever he wanted outside the house. Surely this kid didn’t have his head that far down in the sand. _What was he thinking?_

“Anyways,” Daniel strayed away from it again, turning around to keep going, “It’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’m not worried,” He said, going back to Daniel’s side. “Just curious.”

“Maybe keep the curiosity for the hike.”

Pikeman wanted to talk further, about anything really, since he never got the time to actually converse with anyone. Even at school or at home he was talked over a lot, and with camp it was the same way. But moments where he could talk to a teacher or counselor one-on-one, they always listened. They were always more mature than his peers and treated him with respect. They were actually _nice._ Daniel didn’t seem _as_ cheery as David or the teachers he had at school, but in a way it was better. In a way it felt as if the blonde were more honest. He couldn’t quite place it, in simple words, he just liked Daniel more, despite the slight intimidation.

Eventually they got back to camp and the two of them split for their separate reasons, only to meet back up again after Daniel had exited the counselor’s cabin with a new set of clothes on. Pikeman stood at the entrance like a leashed dog waiting for its owner to return, surprising the blonde when his head poked out from behind the door.

“Woah, uh, aren’t you going to head back with the others? Or do you need my help again?” Daniel asked. 

“They’ll be back soon anyways. It’s almost lunch.” Pikeman said. “Is it okay if I hang out with you for a while?”

“Sure I guess… Do you want to wait inside?”

Pikeman glanced past him, “In the counselor’s cabin? I’m allowed?”

“Just this once.”

Pikeman smiled and stepped inside, looking around, “The old counselors never let us even near their cabin…”

“How come?” Daniel asked as he shut the door.

“Eh, to set boundaries or something.” He hopped onto the bottom bunk casually. 

“Well, some boundaries are still good. Off the bed.”

Pikeman sighed and moved to the chair by the desk as Daniel took his spot on David’s bed. Daniel noticed a bag that he was carrying that wasn’t there before.

“What’d you got in there?” He asked.

“Oh, uh, stuff for emergencies.” Pikeman said. “I forgot it on the hike.”

“Is that what you came back for?”

“Partly. I didn’t lie though…” He trailed off, “Would you get mad if I told you I had a knife?”

Daniel smirked, “Who do you take me for? I’m not David. Let’s see that little pocket knife of yours.” Pikeman hesitated so he went on, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to confiscate it.”

Pikeman gave him a second look and Daniel nodded in reassurance, so he pulled out a long seven inch knife in a sheath.

“Holy fuck--Shit, my bad. Language… Uh, just toss it here.”

He did and Daniel caught it, unsheathing it to take a better look at it.

“Jesus Christ, how’d you get a hold of a military combat knife? _And_ smuggle it into camp?”

Pikeman seemed like he was blushing, probably was due to the genuine interest he was receiving for once, but he tried to reply casually, “Oh you know, Mr. Campbell didn’t really search us. Just kept it in my bag…”

“I’m guessing you got it from a family member?” He asked, eyes on the tip as he lightly poked it with a callused fingertip. “It hasn’t been sharpened recently. Or cleaned properly. Must be fairly old.”

“A few years. My dad gave it to me from when he was drafted.”

He covered it back up and leaned forward to hand it back to the kid who started pulling other stuff out of the bag, setting them on the desk like it was show-and-tell. 

“I was supposed to be drafted actually.” Daniel opened up casually, “They were taking men from ‘44 up to my birth year. And what do you know, I fit the criteria perfectly. I got out of it though because I was going to college. Definitely pay attention in school, might literally save your ass.” He realized his wording again, “Sorry.”

Pikeman smiled, “I’ve heard enough cursing at home, I don’t care. I’m not really a kid anymore anyways. But yeah my dad wasn’t so lucky. But thankfully nothing bad happened to him.”

“Good. So what other survival gear you have in there?”

Pikeman hummed, “I may have exaggerated. Band-Aids, gum, oh and a Tru-Vue.”

“You mean one of those old toys with the film?”

“Yeah,” he got the small box out and handed it over to the blonde who opened it to see a brown slide viewer with five rolls of filmstrips. 

Daniel took one and slid it in into the slot, “These things got frustrating often.”

“Yeah the Yosemite one doesn’t work that well, the film is torn.”

“San Francisco…” Daniel said aloud as he read the words as he put the Tru-Vue to his eyes, leaning back against the bed for better lighting. He skimmed through the long text before speaking again, “Left side is blurry.”

“Yeah the lens probably needs to be cleaned.”

He went through the colorless slides with one eye closed to see clearer, first the city from Telegraph Hill, then the eastern waterfront, the Coit Tower, Lloyd Lake, H.M. deYoung Memorial Museum, and more. As he was shifting through the slides, the door opened.

“Daniel have you seen-- Oh.” David said, stopping mid-sentence as he saw the boy he was worried over finding. “Edward, you didn’t tell me you were going back to camp without us.”

“Sorry… Sir.” Pikeman replied, the honorific delayed due to his guard being lowered while with the other counselor. 

David cleared his throat and looked to the blonde who still had the slide viewer up to his face. The other male put it down to reply,

“Yeah?”

“I guess you weren’t going to tell me that Edward was indeed alive and safe, and let me worry unnecessarily.”

Daniel looked at him questionably, “We haven’t been gone long, besides, you said the hike was almost over with.” 

“Well yeah, but you didn’t tell me you took him with you.”

“He followed me, there’s a difference.”

David looked over to the desk where the few items Pikeman had taken out laid, spotting the giant knife.

“Daniel, is that yours?”

Daniel immediately was about to cover for the boy but was cut off by his confession instead.

“It’s mine.” Pikeman admitted. 

“Well, you know I’m going to have to keep it until the end of summer,” David explained, “We can’t have anyone getting hurt.”

Pikeman and Daniel shared a look before the boy gave it up. David took it, reminding him that weapons weren’t permitted, but it’d be kept in good hands until the three months was up. He collected his items and was told to go meet the others in the dining hall while David had a ‘talk’ with his coworker.

Once the door was shut David gave him a disappointed look, yet remained silent.

“What?” Daniel asked. “Are you seriously mad at me for not telling you?”

“I thought you came back to take care of your ‘problem’. But he said he followed you?”

“I took care of it in the woods.”

David went wide-eyed, “Did he--”

“No,” Daniel lied, “He approached me when I was walking back.”

David let out a sigh of relief, “You still should have told me, or sent him back.”

“He had to use the bathroom. I wasn’t going to make him wait or go in the woods. It’s not that big of a deal, David. You should go have lunch with them instead of hassling me about nothing.”

“But it _isn’t_ ‘nothing’. We’re in charge of other people’s kids, we have to communicate. I can handle most of it but you need to let me know of these things, okay?”

“Okay.” Daniel said, not wanting to argue. 

David expected more out of him for some reason, the abrupt silence suddenly being worse than a fight. It made him feel as if he _was_ overreacting, even just a little. 

“Are you joining us for lunch?” David asked to change the subject.

“I guess so, unless you want to make up for what happened earlier. But I can wait.”

David furrowed his brows, “Make up for what?”

“You know.”

“Actually, I really don’t… Wait, you mean--?”

“There you go.”

“I already said we can’t do that while up here. You’ll have to wait till we go back home.”

“You said you’d consider it.” Daniel said, irritation in his voice.

“And I did, and I’m sticking to what I originally said. If I can wait, so can you. It’s not that big of a deal.” He used Daniel’s previous words against him.

Daniel stood up, “If it’s not that big of a deal, why can’t we do it here? David, you put it aside for _months._ You barely even hugged me. I thought we had this fixed.”

“It’s only for the summer. You can wait. It’s not like I’m starving you.” 

_‘You might as well be.’_ Daniel wanted to say. It seemed too childish though. He didn’t think his point in general was however. He gave David time after what had happened, he understood the circumstances. But this was just a lazy excuse. Sex wasn’t _just_ to calm down his violent tendencies, but it was an act of love. If David continued to run from that, even run from hugging, kissing, hell, even _talking_ intimately, then there must have had to be a deeper problem... _Right?_

His mind wouldn’t let go of that paranoia, so he grabbed a hold of David’s wrist as he reached to put the knife away. The grip was strong, squeezing his veins strong enough that they felt as if they were going to pop. David jerked his wrist back with a weak yelp and Daniel let go out of sudden regret.

“I didn’t mean--”

David rubbed the area and sighed, “...We’ll talk about this later.”

“David, I’m sorry. I don’t know my own strength sometimes. I just wanted you to know that…” He trailed off.

David put the knife away in a cabinet drawer and headed towards the door, “Know what?”

“...I love you.” Daniel said softly.

He paused, looking back at Daniel with an unreadable expression, before giving a slight nod and leaving the room instead of replying with the obligatory ‘I love you too’. Once the door was shut, the blonde stared at the now empty space in shock and anger.

_‘What the fuck was that?’_

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> random fun fact: the Tru-Vue mentioned I actually own from my grandpa, brought it out to add extra realistic details that nobody would have noticed if I didn't point out lmao. but uh yeah! the thing is like at least 50 years old, not the oldest thing i own but close! aight thank for listening 😁
> 
> edit: also what the fuck how has nobody tagged daniel/pikeman before?? i can forgive the fact i created the ao3 necrozooph tag and first cc castration tag but-- LMFAO god i hate,, myself . please hate me too this is horribl e . might delete this note later pffft


	23. Knife Training

Not every day of camp was a busy schedule, instead it was much more like school. Weekends were more carefree so both the kids and the counselors could have a break from priorities and each other. Except by the first weekend, Pikeman didn’t get the short hiatus right away, as Daniel approached his bed one late morning as the other campers were still asleep, and David was meeting with his uncle. 

At first he thought he was in trouble when the blonde counselor tapped him on the shoulder and whispered for him to get dressed and follow along outside. Once he was prepared to go out, he met the blonde outside and was handed back his knife.

“No way!” He exclaimed before he was shushed. He lowered his voice, “Did you talk David into it?”

“Mhm, he was pretty stubborn about it but I convinced him that you wouldn’t do anything hazardous. He sapped up the sentimental army story though.”

“Thank y--”

“However,” Daniel interrupted and let out a sigh, “In return I reassured him that I’d give you lessons. So you don’t hurt yourself and that we can know we can actually trust you with it.”

“I never actually planned on using it. I don’t even know how.”

“Do you want the free lessons or not?” Daniel asked.

Pikeman nodded in response.

“Good. Come along.” He began to walk in the opposite direction off into the forest where Pikeman followed close behind. 

“Where are we going?” 

“We’re not having the others interrupt. Not to put them down but I don’t think they could handle the responsibility.”

“So you trust me?”

He didn’t get an answer that time and he glanced behind to see how far they were, his guess had been that they had been walking for at least five minutes.

“Wait, you’re scared David is going to find out, aren’t you?” Pikeman asked. “He doesn’t know, does he?”

Daniel stopped at a close clearing and sighed before admitting, “Okay, he doesn’t. But if he does, I’ll cover for you this time. After all it was my idea, as his--,”  _ ‘Superior.’ “ _ ...Equal... I have the same authority he does.

“Well thank you again… Where do we start?”

“I’m going to have you do some quick drills first. I want you to get the feel of the basic motions. We’ll start with an easy ‘X’ motion.” Daniel revealed a pocket knife of his own, clicking it open and backing up a few feet away from the kid. “Simply take your knife and repeat this motion for a few minutes.” He gave an example of how to hold the weapon in a comfortable outward position and did the movements of making a swift ‘X’ shape in the air.

Pikeman repeated the motion on a loop till Daniel told him he could stop, and started up with two more drills. 

“This is tiring.” Pikeman complained while stopping midway through the third drill. “Why am I just repeating this? Aren’t you going to show me actual tricks?”

“Yeah, but these serve a purpose. Muscle memory. What do you think will happen if you ever get in a situation where you have to draw your knife?”

“I’ll just attack them.”

“Possibly. Some people freeze up though.” Daniel approached him, lurking over with him despite the kid’s own unusual height for his age. “Especially if you’re not familiar with those types of situations. So what do you think will happen if your body naturally freezes up on its own? What are you going to do if your mind goes absolutely blank?”

“Uh…”

“Most people I’ve come across, after they freeze up, they’ll choose flight over fight. Not sure of the statistics behind it, but it’s what I’ve personally seen more of.” He crouched down to be closer to his eye-level. “So tell me again, what do you think you’ll do?”

“Run?”

“Most likely.” He confirmed and stood up again, walking around casually in circles as if he were on the phone or lecturing in front of a classroom, “But the more you practice the drills, including getting the feel for drawing your knife from its sheath, you’ll be more likely to rely on muscle memory.” He stopped and looked back at the boy, “Instead of running you’ll draw instinctively, you’ll force yourself into fight mode.”

“Oh.”

Daniel then smiled, “Well, that’s what I’m assuming at least! I’m honestly making this shit up. Kinda. I’m not a professional by any means, but I’ve been in enough fights to get a general sense of it. I don’t even practice every day, just every once in a while. But if you were to practice at least ten minutes every day, get real classes, you could surpass me in a few years.”

“Why couldn’t I now?”

“I have real experience, as I’ve said. And your height is a big disadvantage. Just grow another foot tall, then you’ll be fine. Maybe some more muscle too. But even if you don’t, you can work with what you got. The smaller you are the quicker you are, and agility can beat strength if you have the stamina and wits to counter attack. Or flee. You just don’t want to become overpowered. Dodging will be your best friend first.”

“How do I dodge then?”

“I don’t know, honestly. It’s just something I learned to do naturally. We’ll have to give you practice, see how you do on your own. The tricky thing really is the unpredictability of your opponent. The key is to pay attention to their chest, their core, giving you a wider field of vision. You don’t want to be too close to them either when knife fighting, let them make the first move, then act based on that. For example, if I were to come at you like this,” He got close and gave an outward gesture with his knife, “You’d want to attempt to slash at the inside of my arm, hoping that you share the same dominant hand at least. And aim for tendons and ligaments if able. The smaller the knife the less effect that’ll do especially if it's dull, but if you keep that one on your person for life, it’ll do some damage. I’ll teach you how to sharpen it as well, after training.”

After a few more tips, they went at it, Daniel taking the first turn of not attacking, only dodging and blocking to give visual examples. Pikeman was already breaking a sweat as he copied the drill movements as before, nervous about actually hurting the blonde. However the man seemed to avoid all contact with the blade, even when it was only inches away from his limbs or chest. All doubts of Daniel lying about being experienced were diluted after acting out the waltz of jagged swipes and not landing a single scratch, not even accidentally. Once they switched roles, the doubt had dissipated completely.

Despite the promise that Daniel wouldn’t let the blade touch him, Pikeman was fueled by the same fear that would be present if it were a real fight. His dodges in comparison were clumsy, like instead of the short grass carpet beneath them, there was a freshly coated linoleum floor in its place. Eventually he slipped on the wet grass, and the promise broke when Daniel’s knife graced the back of his exposed forearm as his sleeves were rolled up. Instead of backing off, helping him up or asking if he was okay, Daniel pinned him down until the boy surrendered. 

“I’m done! You win! I’m done…” He swallowed before continuing, “Can we stop now? I didn’t bring water. A break, at least.”

The older male didn’t answer right away, instead stared down at Pikeman who had closed his eyes as he panted. Pikeman reopened them and gave a quizzical look up at the blonde whose delayed response still hadn’t come out from his mouth. Daniel still had his hands gripped around the boy’s wrists, straddling him in an oddly too intimate way. If he wanted to he could…

_ ‘Stop stop stop stop stop.’ _

Daniel let go and backed off, not even bothering to help the other to his feet as he turned around and mentally scolded himself. He was over it. He was done. He made a promise to himself, to David as well, that he wouldn’t do it again. Especially with a  _ kid.  _ None of his victims had been that young. Sometimes minors, but always close enough to the age of consent. He wasn’t that bad. Despite all the horrible shit he did,  _ he wasn’t that bad.  _

His eyes glanced back at the boy.

_ ‘He looks a lot like David.’ _

“Is everything alright? Daniel?” Pikeman asked as he was up on his feet. Blood dripped to his palm causing his gaze to shift down and lift his arm up and wince. 

“Shit. I’m fine, fuck…” Daniel finally snapped out of it and approached him, taking a hold of his wrist again but to lay his arm out in the air and look at the damage he himself had caused. “We’ll go back and handle this. It’s not too bad. I’m sorry.”

Pikeman offered a smile, “Like you just said, it’s not too bad. We’ll cover it up and I’ll hide it under my sleeve. David won’t find out.”

“You don’t have to keep it from him.”

“I will, don’t worry. He doesn’t need to know. He’ll only freak out and overreact. Then both of us will be in trouble.”

“You’re not wrong about that.” Daniel sighed. “Alright then, let’s head back. We’re done for today.”

When they came back to camp it was still like they left it luckily, so Daniel brought Pikeman inside the counselor’s cabin again to wash and cover the cut. The blonde kept his eyes off the blood as much as he could. It wasn’t much but it was enough to make him compulsive if he wasn’t careful. Afterwards, Pikeman handed his knife back despite not being ordered to.

“If David finds out it was from a knife, he’ll get mad.” He said with his arm out. “I can deal without it for a bit longer.”

“Alright then.” Daniel accepted it and put it back in the file cabinet where David had been keeping it in. “Say uh, don’t go flashing your war wound around, got it? At least don’t tell them the ‘how’ part.”

“I won’t.” 

Pikeman sat down on the bed but Daniel didn’t tell him to move out of guilt of breaking his promise. Daniel took a seat at the desk, allowing themselves the break before David returned. Then the kid asked a question he didn’t want to answer.

“How’d you get in so many knife fights if you don’t practice constantly. Is that related to how you got arrested?”

“For one, I wasn’t  _ really  _ arrested. They dropped the charges both times.”

“Wait you got arrested  _ twice?!” _

“It’s complicated. Too much for a kid your age.”

“Oh come on, you just taught me how to use a real knife! It can’t be that bad.”

“That’s not for you to decide. You shouldn’t even know about my false arrests.”

“I won’t tell anyone. I won’t even tell David. I know how to keep my mouth shut… It’s not like the others talk to me anyways…”

No way he was going to spill something like that to a child. One he barely even knew. Pikeman didn’t seem like a threat, in fact, he seemed honest. The boy was obviously interested but more so desperate enough to want to get closer. It reminded him of David when they first met, or even himself during that time. So much curiosity that he simply couldn’t take the risk for. It didn’t matter whether or not he only told the parts David knew, the topic as a whole should have remained avoided. Guilt wouldn’t convince him.

“I won’t discuss this with you.” Daniel stated straightforwardly. 

Pikeman was disappointed but accepted it rather than pushing it more. Instead he began to kick his legs up and back down as if the floor was too far from the bed and he smiled, going on about how ‘badass’ it was that he finally knew how to use a knife properly. Meanwhile the blonde stared at the alarm clock, debating if the two of them should be out of the cabin before David arrived. Perhaps he could handle waking the other campers up and drag them to the hall for breakfast. Shouldn’t be too difficult of a task, and perhaps it’d help him get on David’s good side again.

He stood from his seat and went to the door, “Let’s go wake up the others.”

“Aww, come on. Can’t we wait for David?”

“Nope, don’t know what time he’ll be back. Now let’s go.” He repeated and waited for the boy to waltz out of the room before he followed behind.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	24. Out On The Lake

Their outing was a lot like it always had been. To David that wasn’t quite a good thing, but it was better than the latter of a bad outing. Usually a few questions would be swung his way but they were empty. As he’d start to explain, or even give a simple reply, his uncle would be distracted somehow. Asking his own questions often were left with a pause of silence before a ‘sorry, did you say something?’, before he either brushed it off or attempted to repeat himself. Over and over again. 

The most he got out of Campbell was when he’d go on a rant about something that he frankly didn’t have any interest in such as politics, relationships with people he never met, or something equally as irrelevant and trivial. Daniel often did the same thing but at least he wasn’t being talked _at,_ since usually the blonde would wait for his own input. The only time Daniel would ramble on was when he had a long day or got mad, which he would make up for with an apology or sweet romantic gesture.

Most of the time at the local restaurant was spent with David stirring the straw in his drink with his cheek resting on his hand. They must have been out for at least an hour before returning to the camp where he expected the kids to be asleep in their cabins or in the mess hall eating breakfast, or well, technically lunch since it was near noon. The sun was glaring by the time they pulled into camp, yet they didn’t find the kids out and about or in the dining hall. David outwardly complained while they went to check the cabins, saying that Daniel should have woken them up by then, yet he stopped mid complaint when the first one was completely empty. 

“That’s peculiar…” David said as they both peered in. “Are the other cabins empty?”

Campbell walked off the small porch steps to check the neighboring structure, which was also devoid of campers. 

“He must have taken them out on a hike.” Campbell guessed. 

“We don’t know that for sure. I don’t want to wait around based on assumption. I’ll check ours.” David led the way to the counselor’s cabin while Campbell followed, trying to reassure him but was cut off by the sound of a child screaming.

They didn’t even share a paused look of horror as David sprinted into action immediately, running off in the direction he guessed he heard it from. They both ran through the overgrowth pushing aside branches instead of taking the long way of an already made trail. David’s heart raced in a panic, thinking of the possibilities of what could have happened while he was gone. But his mind landed on one terrifying assumption that _Daniel_ had done something to one of the kids. His fear grew as he was a few feet away from the clearing as he heard Daniel laughing followed by shouts of protest from Pikeman, who must have been the one who screamed before.

He stumbled out, almost tripping and falling face first into the water but he caught himself before he made the accidental dive. 

“Oh, David.” Daniel looked up at him with a smile. “Everything okay?”

They were fine, the kids were fine. David sighed as Campbell caught up and saw the scene as well. The boys were simply playing in the lake while Daniel was keeping a football out of reach. 

“I heard the screaming and assumed the worst.” David explained.

“He pushed me in!” Pikeman complained. 

“And now he won’t give us the ball!” Max shouted angrily as he got out of the water, only to run on the small peer to try and take the football back, but Daniel moved out of the way before the boy could swipe it on his way down. 

David finally let his guard down with a smile, “Causing ruckus I see.”

“Hey, these brats started it.” Daniel said before ruffling Pikeman’s hair with one hand and tossing the ball to Max with his other. “Have a good time?”

“Yeah, it was great.” David said without the enthusiasm to match the words. Daniel took note of that, putting in a mental reminder to bring it up later when they were alone to make sure he was alright. He expected Campbell to say his goodbyes and leave again to do whatever it was he did besides taking care of his own camp, but that’s the opposite of what ended up taking place. As David went to go change into his own swim trunks to join them in the lake, Campbell pulled the blonde aside. 

“Is everything okay?” Daniel asked, eyeing the kids on the sidelines.

“Oh, yeah, just fine. I was wondering if you wanted to go fishing with me out on the lake.” Campbell said with a friendly grin. “To get to know each other better. Obviously I trust you through your familiarity with David, but it’d be extra reassurance for me to get to know you personally.”

“That’s fine.” Daniel accepted. “Although I’m not a big outdoorsman, ironically. I’ve only been fishing a few times as a kid.”

“So you’re doing this job for David then.”

“Pretty much. I figured it’d be a good vacation before I land a permanent job, a way to celebrate seven years of busting my ass studying.”

“A good vacation indeed. A taste of nature before cramming yourself into an office job. What career you say you were going for?”

“Lawyer.”

Campbell made a long hum, then seemed to brush it off, “Anyhow, I’ll get the boat set up. Once David comes back you can let him know and he can look after the boys.”

Daniel let them know where he was going, and once David showed back up he told him as well. 

“Are you sure?” David asked in response.

“Yeah, should I be worried?”

“No… Not particularly.”

“Worried he’ll be rough on me? Give me a pep talk?”

“Maybe…”

Daniel grinned, “You know me, I can handle it.” He glanced at the kids and then to the longer peer further away where the boat was, “I don’t think he suspects anything. About us.” Then he looked back to David, “You sure you don’t want to be upfront with him?”

The ginger shook his head, “At least not now. Wait till the end of summer… Or when we live together. Or something. Not now.”

“I got it. Take care then.” He almost instinctively kissed the other male but stopped just as he was about to move in close. Instead he smiled and turned around walking past the kids, “I’ll catch up with you guys in a bit.” 

The peer Campbell was waiting on was further out in the water, creaking with each step Daniel took across the moldy wooden boards. Waiting at the end was a brown 1970 Bomber bass boat with two standard fishing poles and a grey tackle box. 

“You weren’t kidding.” Daniel said.

“Of course not!” Campbell exclaimed as he climbed into the back.

Daniel carefully stepped in as well, taking a seat near the front, feeling cramped despite it being a decent size in comparison to what he assumed they would be in. It made sense considering the man’s stature and build, there was no way he would fit in a canoe without tipping it over. Before Daniel could figure out anything to say, Campbell turned the motor on and steered from the opposite end of the boat. They stayed silent since the sound of it would overpower their voices if they spoke, but it eventually died down again when they reached a more isolated area of the lake where the only sounds were of the wind and birds rather than the kids on the further end. 

“So why’d you choose the law field?”

Daniel’s head perked up, “Oh, I guess it was most suitable.”

“I’m asking so I know whether or not I can trust you. No need to be shy.”

“Trust me? What, got a criminal record?”

“Eh, I wouldn’t say _criminal.”_

“You’re fine, either way. I’m not doing it to purposely seek out people to throw in jail, if I was, I’d simply become a cop. I took it to defend, not persecute.”

“You took it for the money… Is that what you told David? You did it out of the kindness of your heart? He must have loved that.”

The accusations being thrown at him weren’t entirely false, but unappreciated nonetheless. 

Before he could snap back, the older man continued, “I don’t blame you though, so I won’t hassle you for it. As long as you don’t end up suing me in the long run, then whatever. In fact, if you end up being good at it, I’d rather have you on my side.”

“As long as I get paid and you don’t make me lie or risk my reputation.”

“You’ll have to lie to be a lawyer, at least if you want to be a good one... But that’s what I like to hear. But it’s nothing to worry about for now.” He made a gesture to further put the topic to rest. 

They set up their lines and casted them out. With how glaring the sunlight was over them, he was glad he was still damp. The water didn’t act as a sunscreen though, just a way to keep cool. He could feel the burning already taking place on his nose, cheeks, and back of his neck within minutes. He wondered how long Campbell really planned on keeping him out there.

“It’s a shame Jasper couldn’t make it this trip. He’s a good kid, a little too much though. Do you know him well? I can’t imagine you and David being close without knowing him.” Campbell said.

“Yeah, I know him. I wouldn’t consider us friends though. Close acquaintances I guess. He’s alright.”

“Polite way of saying you don’t get along. Like I said, he’s a good guy, but he shelters David. It’s why they’ve been inseparable all these years. The boy was too much like a mother to David. Too clingy, even after they grew up... Just between you and me, I think he’s one of those queers.”

_‘Oh god.’_ Daniel thought, trying not to let his expression become just as deadpan as the voice in his head. 

“Yeah, maybe. I’m not close to him so I wouldn’t know.” Daniel replied. 

_‘Even Campbell sees it. What a bother.’_

“Again, he’s alright… But he rubs off too much on David. He was a skinny lad all his life but even his hobbies were effeminate. Couldn’t even get him to stay in sports, not even baseball! But I’m glad he’s branched out with friends at least. You’ll be a decent influence, I hope. Sure, can’t expect him to ever be into football or boxing, not every man has to be brawn, but he could at least take up something like, uh,” He hummed as he thought of an example, “I don’t know, chess? Rather than the damn roller disco scene. And of course, Jasper supports him with those decisions… You seem like the type of man who may be more posh, but at least you can get your hands dirty if needed. And you can provide. I’m just worried David won’t be able to do that when he finally settles down with a girl.”

Daniel made the mistake of smiling at the wrong thing, but hey, at least he didn’t laugh out loud like he wanted to.

“Why are you smiling?” Campbell asked upfront.

_‘Fuck.’_

Before he could come up with an excuse, Campbell caught on himself, “Fuck, he’s..?”

“You didn’t hear it from me.” Daniel said.

He sighed, “I should have guessed sooner. I guess it’s just… Denial. Didn’t care about assuming Jasper was because although he was under my wing a lot, I still didn’t raise him legally. David’s like a son to me, ever since whatever happened with his real parents. If he were to ever get hurt by being open about that shit, there’s nothing I can do. I’d hate to see him get shot or killed all because he couldn’t pretend to fit in a bit better.”

Daniel furrowed his brows, not over the passive aggressive remarks, but what he casually said about David’s parents. If he remembered correctly, they were alive, only distancing themselves. 

“What’d you say?” Daniel asked.

“Well, I don’t mean it like that--”

“No, not that. David’s parents. What’d you say about them?”

“Oh. Ohh…” The man groaned. “Jasper never told you the family secret then?”

“No?”

“I’m not David’s real dad, or uncle. We’re not related. I don’t know what happened to his parents before he was put up for adoption… I didn’t even want a kid. My ex did. She wanted the perfect nuclear family, with an older boy and a younger daughter, a providing father, and she would be the housewife. It was what anyone wanted in the ‘50s. And, let’s just say the first problem came on my part. I…” He paused, not wanting to continue, but he had gotten this far, “I was inadequate. I couldn’t give her a biological child to put it simply.”

“Ah.”

Another sigh escaped his lips, “So I adopted David when he was a newborn, which, at first she was fine with. She loved him, but I guess it was only the quick thrill of something new. And as kids get older, they get harder. For her, she needed to have that maternal bond in order to mother him once he became more of a challenge. But it wasn’t only him. I never went to college, and I never could hold down a job. I joined the military during the Korean War, and then it quickly ended. I didn’t get anything from my short time serving. Once she realized her perfect dream was fading from her hands, she freaked out. God, I remember that night…” He paused to collect himself, “She left. David was five years old when she walked out on us, and that’s when I moved us south to start over. Got into some shady businesses, but I had to provide somehow.”

“So how’d you get the camp?” Daniel asked. “Or I guess moreso, why?”

“The camp didn’t originally belong to me. And it was a lot jankier than it is now. When we moved, David made friends with Jasper, and I got close to his family somewhat. Jasper’s father is the one who brought up the summer camp idea and we sent them the same year. After they came back from the trip, I saw how happy David was. He was always a shy kid, especially with his early upbringing, but camp seemed to liven him up more. It gave me the idea of buying the camp myself, and it was a success. It’s hit a low point recently, but it’ll jump back up again.”

Daniel leaned back despite not having much support behind him, processing the new information, “Let me get this straight. So, you’ve lied to David all these years, saying you’re his real family, that you’re his uncle… Why?”

“So the boy could have an anchor. So he doesn’t feel like his entire family abandoned him at birth… I think it’s better than the alternative… And luckily for all of us, he bought the story. Not once has he sent one of those letters himself. He trusted me to be that connection between him and his ‘parents’.”

“Wait, are you telling me that you took the letters? Don’t tell me you still have them…”

“I do. But I’ve never opened them, I respect his privacy.”

Daniel felt a rise of anger that heated his internals to match his redding skin, “Jesus Christ. No wonder he’s so dysfunctional. You deprived him of any closure, made him into an insecure wreck. Sure, I can see how your inadequacy could rub off on your parenting, forcing him into what _you_ want, pushing him towards goals _you_ wanted. Or, well, your ex girlfriend. That’s bad on it’s own, but I guess I can understand that. But the fact that you denied him the basic decency of honesty, that’s the opposite of respect. Especially with how you’ve managed to watch him reach out all these years to a brick wall. Fuck, not even a wall, it’s nonexistent! You planted ideas of people into his head that don’t even exist! That’s pretty fucked up, isn’t it? And for what?”

“Saying that it’d give him closure is quite a reductive way of thinking, isn’t it? If you’re going to thrive being a lawyer, you need to understand the big picture of any situation… What do you think David would do if I went ahead and told him the truth? That the state of his real parents are unknown. With how he’s behaved with the makeshift story. How do you think he would have handled that?” Daniel was about to snap back with an answer but Campbell cut him off, “Think about it.”

He couldn’t stand that kind of reaction from someone other than himself, but Campbell was one of the rare men who could overpower him physically if he decided to lash out. At least, in this case. Daniel didn’t have a knife on him, and being on the water, he could be drowned if he were to attack. He despised even the glimpse of what it felt like to be challenged like that, but he submerged the urge with rationale. Instead he took the suggestion, pausing to think about _why_ Campbell kept the truth from someone as benevolent as David for the entirety of his life. Daniel thought about David’s actions, going through with striving to get a hold of people who rejected him time and time again. 

And then it clicked.

“He would keep trying to find them.” Daniel stated in defeat. 

“Uh huh.” He crossed his arms as his fishing pole rested against the side of the boat, “And who knows where they are. Whether they’re even alive, I have no clue. I’d rather him face a harsh lie and move on with his life, rather than find out the _harsher_ truth and never let himself get a blink of sleep because of it. At least with my story I can give him a reason to stop trying. To accept the fact he’s not wanted by them, but he’s wanted by me. And that can be good enough… If he finds out that’s not the case, it won’t be enough anymore. He’ll want to find out if he’s wanted by his real family. Even if it takes his whole fucking life. It just wouldn’t be healthy for him.”

“Implying what he has now is healthy…”

Campbell shook his head, “I didn’t say it was. But it’s better. You want him to be able to settle down one day, don’t you? Whether it’s with a girl, or Jasper, or whoever. Hell, even just by himself. He deserves to settle down and find peace. If you’re his friend, you’d want that for him as well.”

He cringed at the mere thought of David marrying Jasper, or _anyone_ that wasn’t himself. It almost made him want to blurt out the truth there and then. Instead, he bit his tongue and nodded in agreement.

“Good.” Campbell said. “Geez, we sure got off track. And we haven’t even caught anything!” 

“Are you sure there’s any fish?”

“Should be. I restocked the lake last year. Must just be one of those days.”

“Maybe we should head back.”

“Soon, we’ll wait a bit longer.”

  
  


Longer meant over two hours to Campbell, which meant more pointless questions here and there but mostly endless one-sided talks. When the older man finally gave in and started up the motor, Daniel was more than thrilled to go see David and the kids again. By the time they returned, the boys were out of the water, some lying around while others were playing a game of tag. David was sitting by the water with the ones who were taking a break, reading a book out loud to them.

Pikeman was amongst the small group, perking up at the sight of the blonde unlike the other kids. David took notice and looked up from the pages as they approached.

“Catch anything?” David asked.

“Not a damn thing,” Campbell said disappointedly. “But we had a good talk.” He patted Daniel’s shoulder.

“Yeah, two hours worth.” Daniel said. 

“Well that’s good.” David said, looking at Daniel to read his body language to tell if it really was an okay experience or not.

“I think I’ll go run by the Quartermaster on my way out and ask if he needs anything while I’m here.”

“Oh, could you tell him to cancel dinner tonight?” David asked. “The kids and I decided we’re going to do a campfire.”

“Alright. It was good seeing you boys today. I’ll probably swing by again next week.” Campbell said as he took his hand off of Daniel’s shoulder to ruffle David’s hair before heading off. 

Once he was gone, David asked how it really went, “Did he say anything?”

Daniel thought of their conversation, the consequences of telling David the truth about his parents. Whether or not it would be better in the long run, he wasn’t quite sure. 

“Nah, nothing I could keep track of anyway.”

“Mm, I see. He did that with me earlier too. Yet he kept you in a worse position than I, your face is all burnt up.” David said, pointing out the obvious.

“Yeah, should have worn sunscreen… What are you reading to them?”

David lifted the book upwards so he could read the cover.

“ _The Outsiders._ Never read that one. You kids like it so far?” Daniel asked.

Pikeman was about to speak up but was interrupted by Space Kid.

“It’s okay I guess. The names are pretty stupid though.”

“Says the one who wants to be called Neil Armstrong. Shut up, Space Kid.” Max said.

“That’s _literally_ my name though.”

Daniel looked to Pikeman, “What about you?”

He looked up and answered quietly, “It’s okay I guess.” 

The way the boy hushed up around the others wasn’t downplayed. His high-energy when he was alone with Daniel was covered by shyness now, simply letting the others talk over him. 

Daniel sat down in the grass with them, nodding for David to continue reading. David smiled before going on so they could finish the chapter before deciding what to do before evening. The boys who were off playing eventually needed a break from all the running as well, plopping down to listen along to get their energy back for later. After the chapter was finished, David put the bookmark in snug inside the pages before shutting it and setting it down. 

“Seems like we should start having nap time more often now, huh?” David said to Daniel as he looked down at the ones who had their eyes closed while lying down.

Max then opened one eye, “I’m not asleep. Just waiting for it to be over.” He sat up, “Who wants to go back in the water with me?”

There were collective sounds of mumbles and groans before Max stood and forced them to follow him back into the lake. Pikeman was the only one who stayed but David encouraged him to go as well while the adults could have some time to talk. 

Daniel was watching them with a soft smile on his face, enjoying the simple things such as the warm sunlight despite the burn on his skin, the wind despite messing up his hair, and the grass despite the bugs using his hands as a bridge that he didn’t bother brushing off. All the things he had done were drowned out, and all the things he wanted to do were free from mind. The nervous tick was nowhere to be found. Everything felt serene in that moment, like everything was placed together perfectly in the universe. Like nothing could go wrong. And seeing the kids start up their laughter as they splashed around only completed the carefree atmosphere of summer. 

An unnatural sound of a click brought him out of it as he turned his head in David’s direction, catching him with his polaroid that he lowered with a smile.

“I’ve never seen you smile like that before…” David explained as he took a hold of the picture to see it form. “In the span of two years, I’ve never seen you so happy.”

“I’ve been happy plenty of times, every moment I’m with you.” Daniel said, confused.

“I know, but right now you seem genuinely content.” David looked at the picture and smiled at it, “I wish I could figure out what you were thinking.”

“Well,” Daniel said, taking a hold of it to see for himself, “You _could_ ask me.”

David hummed, “Hm, I don’t know about that. I don’t believe you knew yourself. Or am I wrong?” 

The blonde took one last glance before giving it back, “A few things, I suppose. I was mainly taking in the physical sensations, thinking about how damn nice the weather is.”

David put it away for safekeeping before asking, “Anything else?”

“I think I may have also changed my mind about having kids.”

“What? Really?”

“I’m still not _fully_ convinced, but yeah, you were right. Kids might be nice one day.”

David grinned, “You’re getting attached to them, aren’t you?”

“The campers? No, not like that. They’re okay. They’re--”

“Yeah, yeah. You like them. That’s good! I’m glad… I was nervous about whether or not you’d open up to them, but the fact that you managed to get attached so quickly… It’s cute. You’ll make a good dad.”

Daniel was glad about the sunburnt then, as he would have been embarrassed if that would have managed to make him blush. 

“How many?” David then asked.

“What?”

“How many kids do you want?”

“Psh, I haven’t gotten that far yet…”

David nodded in reply before sighing, “You know what we missed coming here?”

“Hm?”

“I wanted to see _Grease_.”

“We could probably still see it, have Campbell look after the kids one day and find a theater nearby.”

“Doubt he would, but we could ask.”

“You know what I want to see this fall? That _Halloween_ movie. I drove by the cast back in May when they were shooting. Think you’ll see it with me?”

“You know the rule…”

Daniel gave three fast tsk’s, “You’re missing out on good filmography.”

“Maybe if you see _Grease_ with me, I’ll reconsider.”

“Alright, that sounds--”

They heard one of the boys shout louder than normal which drew their attention to the lake. It was Max who continued screaming their names in a panic as he stumbled out of the water as they stood up.

“It’s Space Kid! He’s not moving!” He pointed out into the water, further than they were supposed to be playing towards the middle of the deep end. 

David was about to move into action but Daniel reacted seconds faster, sprinting across to the dock to dive into the water. Both David and Max rushed to the end of the dock as all of them watched the blonde counselor retrieve the motionless body out on the lake. David ushered them to get out of the water and anxiously sat back, knowing there wasn’t anything else he could do at that split moment. 

How did they not notice? Sure, drowning is a more silent death than people expect, easy to go unnoticed. But how did they not notice one of them going further than allowed? How did none of the kids say anything sooner? Or did they just not care? Of course they didn’t care, they’re kids. Kids do stupid things. Kids do what they’re not supposed to. Daniel let his guard down for a few spare minutes and already one of them was near-death, if not already dead. If this kid died on their watch, _his_ watch, David would hate him. David wouldn’t want to talk to him. Kids were a responsibility with many horrible possibilities, both within and out of his reach. And now, the kid was back in his reach. He took a hold of the boy’s arm over his own shoulder, trying to adjust so the small body lay against his back as he hurriedly began swimming back to the closest dock. 

Having kids might not be a good idea. Kids are dumb.

The second he approached the dock to climb the ladder, David swooped in by reaching down and grabbing a hold of Space Kid to lie him down on the wooden surface. Daniel hoisted himself up as David was in a frozen shock.

Max began explaining at the wrong time, “I dared him to try holding his breath because of the whole no air in space thing! I didn’t think he’d actually die from it! I didn’t mean t--”

“Shut up!” Daniel snapped. “David, you know CPR, do it!”

“I can't, I can't, I can’t.” David spat out like a mantra.

“Fuck.” Daniel said out loud under his breath, immediately dropping to his knees to do it himself. 

He inhaled and brought his head down, but just as he did he got headbutted by the boy who immediately started yelling ‘time out! time out!’ as if it were a game. Max then started laughing hysterically as the others were shocked into silence.

“I can’t believe both of you idiots fell for that!” He exclaimed.

Having kids was not a good idea. Kids aren’t just stupid, they’re also downright _bad._

Daniel stood up, not hiding the anger on his face, “Care to explain?”

“He forced me to do it.” Space Kid immediately said.

“I did not! You agreed to it.” Max said.  
  


“Max.” David stated. “What happened?”

Space Kid sat up, “He told me to pretend I drowned to scare you guys.”

“And whaddya know, it worked.”

“Of course it worked!” David shouted. “I thought he died! You can’t do that to us!”

“Geez, calm down. It was just a prank. Daniel said we were _supposed_ to be pranking you. It’s a competition, duh.”

“I said not to go too far.” Daniel said.

“You said not to cause harm. No one got hurt, so, what’s the deal?”

“You know exactly what I meant. Even if I didn’t list specific rules you should have known that this is crossing a line. It’s common sense.”

“Okay fine, I’m sorry. Can we go back to swimming now?”

“No,” David cut in. “We’re done with the lake today. And no more competition. No more pranks.”

“Oh come on!” Max shouted. “I learned my lesson!”

“Bullshit.” Daniel said, not caring about his cursing anymore. 

“Daniel--” David started.

“You didn’t learn anything. Maybe if you switched places, felt what it’s _really_ like to drown, you’d learn something.”

“What?” Max said, suddenly a bit fearful.

“Daniel.” David said again.

The blonde glanced at David, “You’re right, no more competition. I didn’t come here to deal with shit like this.” Then he looked back to Max, “Go to your cabins.”

“But--” Space Kid tried intervening.

_“Go.”_

Max gave an angry groan and started walking off the dock followed by his accomplice. 

“All of you.” Daniel raised his voice so the others could hear and follow along. Then he turned back to David, 

“We’re never having kids.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
___________________________

The cooldown period lasted a few hours till after sunset, giving them plenty of time to think things over and talk. At first the kids were left alone to their own devices, but condemned to their cabins. Max wanted to break the rule but the others refused to follow along after his stunt that managed to punish them all collectively. Surprisingly it was Daniel who had gone to take a hike after the lake incident, coming back to the cabin to find David thinking things over, mainly over how they were going to handle another three months, yet still ruminating about Daniel’s conclusion before he stormed off on his own. 

David flinched at the door opening, then relaxing his posture once he saw who it was.

“So?” David asked, but turning his head back to his paper and pen at the desk, staring at a mostly blank page besides a few ideas for activities. He had barely come up with anything new.

“Sorry for disappearing that long.” Daniel said, stepping into the bathroom for a few minutes. 

David called out, “I wouldn’t plan on taking a shower yet! We’ll probably still do the campfire…”

Daniel stepped out again, but with a different change of clothes rather than the ones he swam in and had on all day, “I was going to. Did you come to that conclusion on your own?”

“Mm, yeah. I remembered I told Campbell to cancel dinner preparations, and obviously starvation as punishment isn’t suitable. Probably just have simple hotdogs and s’mores…”

Daniel leaned against the bathroom doorway, pausing, “What about the competition?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?” David asked, turning the swivel chair in his direction.

“That maybe we jumped to conclusions too fast… Didn’t even give them a proper warning. Besides, Fourth of July might be a whole lot more boring without it.”

“Is that the only thing you changed your mind about?”

The blonde sighed, “We’ll talk about that after dinner, okay? I have some other things I want to bring up as well.”

He saw the same look of anxiety creep onto David’s face as it always did when he brought up needing to talk with little to no context. Instead of relieving him of the worry with a simple reassurance he took to the door.

“Let’s go start the fire,” He started. “Can’t have them starving to death.”

  
  


Daniel started the fire while David got the kids out of their cabins. Once the kids were out he went to go check the kitchen in the main hall for things to cook. Daniel occupied them with random facts until they were talkative enough to start their own conversations while he silently went back to fixing the logs around so the fire had enough oxygen to stay lit. David arrived with a plastic bag full of hot dog packs, buns, and condiment packets. In his other hand he held a guitar by its neck.

“Alright, go find some sticks.” David said to the kids, sitting down on one of the tree stump seats.

Daniel smiled, “I’ve never heard you play guitar before.”

“I’m going to be rusty, it’s been a few years.” He played a generic strum, tuning it the best he could before attempting to remember any song on the top of head. 

He immediately stopped as the kids came back, pausing until they settled down again while they prepared their own dinner. However, Space Kid started eating one cold.

“What are you doing?” Daniel asked.

“Eating a hotdog?” The boy replied.

“Raw?”

“It’s pre-cooked. Besides, if I’m going to the moon like my dad then I ought to get used to cold food.”

“Insufferable.” Max muttered, rather than attempting to correct him.

Space Kid ignored the comment and continued chowing down on the cold piece of meat while the others slowly waited for theirs. After the main course some roasted marshmallows as well, talking about why they liked them either barely roasted or all the way burnt. As they got their fingers and mouths sticky with sugar, David picked the guitar back up to mess around with sounds, regaining the familiarity of it. 

“Hm, let’s see... ” David said softly to himself as he tried to think of a song. He started strumming a repetitive set of chords, singing a romantic slow song from his favorite band. Daniel recognized it but was only memorized by the voice of his lover, rather than the lyrics although they were matchingly sweet, 

_‘Just a little love, can make me feel this way, just a little smile can make me wanna stay.’_

David was the only thing he wanted to love, probably the only thing he could ever love. He wanted him to stay forever, despite arguments, despite rejection, despite anything. That voice was something he wanted to hear every day, no matter what words it carried. 

The song caused some yawns amongst the kids despite most of them wanting to stay up late, but it wasn’t long before the fire was already going out on its own, only leaving a dim glow from the coals at the bottom underneath the greying wood. David made them go brush their teeth and go to bed as Daniel threw away the plastic packages and put up the guitar. Instead of going straight to sleep themselves, the blonde urged the other male to follow him to the lake.

“I don’t know Daniel, we should rest.” David said as they approached the water.

“I can’t have a few minutes alone with my own husband?” Daniel joked, lying down in the grass in the same spot as they were earlier, “Sit down with me.”

He did, letting his back rest on the cold grass and taking in the air through his nose calmly. And there were those words again.

“We need to talk,” Daniel started, thinking about the events of that day. “Where to start…” He then muttered to himself.

“About having kids? We don’t have to, I wouldn’t break up with you over something like that. It’s not that big of a deal.”

“It’s not that.”

“Is something else bothering you?”

_‘I need to tell you the truth.’_ Daniel kept himself from saying outfront. He still needed more time to decide whether or not to tell him about his family… No, he should. But when? How?

He started out with a question, “What do you want out of life?”

“That’s what you concerned me for? Gee, uh, well, I don’t know. I’d like to get married, possibly have kids. I’d just want to live happily.”

“No, I know that…” Daniel sighed. “I mean, what would you do if there were no consequences?”

“Huh?”

Daniel stared up into the sky, encouraging the other man to do the same, “Look up. Only look at the stars. Can you count them?”

“One, two--”

“Don’t actually try.” Daniel chuckled slightly. “You can’t. Maybe the visible ones, but there’s so much more out there than what meets the eye. There’s no end as far as we know. Everything we do here doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. All we do is carefully constructed because we _made_ it that way. Before, we had no government, no laws, free to do as we please. If one day we just decided not to fall in line, we could do anything. Right now, if I wanted to, theoretically, I could kill you. Or you could even kill me, or at least try to.”

“Uhm, yeah? What are you getting at? You’re not going to kill me, are you?” David glanced at him with a nervous smile.

“What? No. But hear me out, what’s stopping us from going off the deep end right now, whether that be killing each other, ourselves, or spending the rest of our worthless paper currency to book a trip to the Carribean?”

“Where are you going with this?”

Daniel gave another sigh, “I’m not sure honestly. I’ve been thinking outside the box a lot, is all. The insane what-ifs of life. But seriously, we’re only clinging to this sphere with gravity, if you look up and only focus on that, realize that there is no up or down, it feels pretty weird, doesn’t it? Like we’re going to fall off... Being in the city is claustrophobic, yet out here you can actually see the stars. We’re finally in the space age but I have this pessimistic feeling neither you or I will ever experience them up close.”

“Probably not.”

David wasn’t sure what brought it out of him, but it wasn’t the first time the blonde would bring up deep talks, such as when they first started seeing each other, asking about David’s fears. Usually the blonde would bring up those topics, seeming to open up, as if he were venting despite not hitting the main point, beating around the bush sort of speak. It was as if there was something more specific bothering Daniel all this time, and although David reminded him that he could ask him for help any time for anything, Daniel wouldn’t take up the offer. Instead he opted out for these odd and vague discussions that may have been a cry for help, but then out of the blue, always the next day, he would be fine. 

David turned his head again, “Are you okay?”

The blonde seemed spaced out, giving a late response, “Yeah, I’m fine. But what would you do?”

“If I couldn’t get in trouble?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know if I’d do anything, honestly.”

“Really? Nothing?”

“I don’t think so at least. It’d be nice to rob a bank and be rich, but it’d be wrong. Unless I pulled a Robin Hood stunt. I guess I’d do that.”

Daniel frowned, “You wouldn’t kill anyone? Not even someone you hated? Like a political figure even?”

“Nope. That’d be wrong. I wouldn’t have laws but I’d still have my morals... Why? Would you kill someone?”

_‘Ah, geez. Don’t know how to tell you that one, buddy.’_ Daniel thought before responding.

“Who knows.”

“Maybe we should go to bed.” David suggested, sitting up. “We’re both tired after today. No need in overexerting ourselves.”

“What if you didn’t have any family?”

“What?”

“If you had no one holding you back either. Anything you’d do differently?”

“Again, I don’t know. I’m too tired to come up with accurate answers.”

“Well,” Daniel exhaled, “Whatever happens. Just know I’m all you need. I’ll always be here for you. We’ll get a house together. A big house, classic white picket fence. Or whatever color you want. We’ll get married, I’ll get us nice rings, definitely real gold. Maybe we’ll have a kid, two possibly. Or we can just settle for a pet. I’ll support you as much as you need. I’ll take care of you.”

David raised an eyebrow, confused where all of it came from, “What are you going on about? You need sleep.” He said with a concerned smile. “But thank you.”

“I can picture it already.” Daniel continued. “I can see the house. I can smell the cut grass, the new paint. I can hear the water sprinklers in the front yard, I can hear the dog barking. What about you?”

_‘You’re delusional_.’ He wanted to joke. 

But the sudden mention of the dog only brought up what happened the night before they arrived to camp. How easy it was for Daniel to slit its throat, walking away with the blood on his hands like it was something he had done a thousand times. It sent chills down his spine.

“Yeah...” He replied. “Come on though,” He stood up and offered a hand, “Bed time.”

The blonde only looked up at him silently, no smile, an expression he couldn’t puzzle. Daniel closed his eyes then, taking the long pause to ditch all the ruminating questions and overall thoughts in his mind before grasping back. He was then silent there on out until the next day. And the next day he seemed all fine again.

  
  
  
  


  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaand lets hope I get that next chapter finally done either tonight or tomorrow! then I’ll go back to slower posting again


	25. Fourth of July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eugh 🐡 on schedule but for what cost . again I haven’t done acid before so forgive inaccuracies. tried to do my research despite being rushed and asked experienced people around but ya know. and I’m just sorry for this chapter in general 😓 okay thank you 
> 
> (Ps happy 4th of July this holiday sux!! hate my country !!! Especially right now!!!haha!!:/// )

With the competition back on, the counselors had their eyes peeled for the entire month, trying to predict the plans made by a group of motivated children and pre-teens. David was back to being the main scapegoat since he was easy bait, unlike the blonde who often made the pranks backfire on them. In the end, the votes all added up since the best prank was too obvious. Everyone agreed that the bear prank on David had the best execution. 

All they had to do was make it seem like a bear had snuck into the campgrounds outside of his cabin with sounds and shadows, plus the verbal influence of Daniel who knew the plan beforehand. Once David was talked into that there was a bear on the loose, they relied on patience to lower his guard. Somehow Daniel’s stubbornness to “sleep” actually got David out of the cabin to check on the kids to make sure they were safe, but a tripwire outside the door was all it took to make things escalate in the most entertaining outcome. 

A bucket of water from atop the doorway landed on his head before he completely tripped over the fishing line wire, which was all that was meant to happen, just a simple clothes-drenching, loss-of-footing prank… However David’s overreaction with his screams of peril attracted a  _ real _ bear into camp. It was no longer funny, actually terrifying, but after Daniel scared it off with a can of hairspray and lighter to create a makeshift flamethrower, it became the coolest thing to come out of the entire summer (despite only being one third into the season).

After that incident, the pranks on the fair haired counselor almost diminished entirely, out of both fear and respect. But at that point, there was only one week left till the fourth of July and it was clear that they would be getting the firework party anyways.

  
  


On the holiday, they started their celebration in the evening, before the sun set. David had passed out popsicles and ice cream despite the competition conclusion due to his urge to spoil them. They were gathered around while Daniel was setting up the fireworks in a safe manner, while also informing Max which ones he could light himself. 

“What if we threw them all into a huge pile and started it with gasoline?” Max asked as the older male was setting up one of the packages in the dirt away from the grass.

“It would blow up.” Daniel replied simply without explanation or much thought at all.

“Could we try it?”

“No!” David yelled.

“Knew it. Anyways, can I light the first one?”

“Does nobody else want to?” Daniel asked, handing the lighter to Max and looking back at the other kids.

“Nah, they’re cowards.” Max said as he snatched it and dropped down to light the fuse.

After it caught flame, Daniel guided him away for precaution as it went off. The trajectory went in the direction of the lake, but high up that it exploded in the air like it was meant to. The colors of the first one was a mix of purple and pink, and as more were lit, the more vibrant and bright they became as the backdrop of the light blue sky faded to navy and then eventually to black. Once the main fireworks were all used up, they started going through the pack of sparklers.

“Pikeman, you want one?” Daniel asked, since he was the only one who didn’t run up eagerly after the package was opened. 

“No thanks.” The boy replied as he was opening up another Bomb Pop.

“David, how many have you let him have tonight?” Daniel asked, amused at the sight of Pikeman’s purple lips from the red and blue dye. It was humorous, until it reminded him of some of the bodies he engaged with days after they were beaten, suffocated, and sometimes even drowned. Then he got a slight chill, one that gauged his sudden arousal. His foot tapped anxiously, even the smoke from fireworks had him craving tobacco. 

David was having a Creamsicle himself, pausing to reply casually, “Oh I don’t know, four? We still have a ton left, don’t worry.”

“Not worried, just surprised you’d let him have that many.” Daniel said, looking away to keep his mind from wandering any further. Instead he was thinking of how he could get away for a few minutes without any of them paying attention. He could disguise it as another social break, at this point the kids probably thought it was normal with how many times he used that as his excuse. 

“How long do you plan on letting them stay up?” Daniel then asked. 

  
“What time is it now?”

Daniel glanced at his watch, “Quarter past ten.”

“Maybe midnight, they’ve been well-behaved so far.”

He hummed in response, pondering if he could wait another hour, let alone another forty five minutes on top of that. 

_ ‘Nah. They’ll be fine for a few minutes.’  _

He sat up, “I’m taking a break. Too much excitement for one day.” 

“Oh, are you okay?” David asked.

“Peachy keen, just a break is all. Think you’ll hold?”

David nodded, “We’ll be fine. Stay safe, love y--...” He shook his head, “Take care.” 

Pikeman was the only one around but he didn’t speak up about David’s slip-up, so Daniel simply replied with a simple ‘will do’ and went off into the dark. Thankfully all the kids remained around the fire pit so his favorite spot by the lake was unoccupied. It was almost completely shadowed, not even the light of the natural satellite in the sky reflected off the water due to its barely visible sliver of a waning crescent on the cusp of a new moon. Despite the lack of strong lighting, he could still make out a lot as his eyes adjusted.

Taking a spot by the edge of the lake, he sat in the grass and started to undo his belt. Although he didn’t have the real thing, nor tapes of the real thing, he had a nice view. Besides, he already had the image of the boy in his mind to make up for it. He heard something behind him and he paused, slowly reaching forward to where he kept a knife ankle holster underneath his jeans. As it approached closer, he sat up until it was behind him before turning and grabbing a hold of a leg.

The boy yelped and fell right on his ass, suddenly feeling pinned like the first combat lesson they had, Daniel on top of him with a weapon geared down at him. 

“I yield!” He exclaimed.

“Pikeman…” He then sighed, lowering the blade and moving off. “You need to quit clinging to me...” He reminded. Then he put the knife fully away and fixed his belt before the kid could notice.

“David told me to tell you he decided to go to bed early.”

“Shouldn’t you be in your cabin then?”

“He said we could stay up…”

“As long as..? He wouldn’t let you be out by yourselves at this hour.”

“As long as we stayed by the camp, but he said it’d be okay if I strayed if I was with you at least.”

“Did he really say that?” Daniel asked, genuinely disbelieved. David should have known what was up by then, he wouldn’t risk putting Pikeman in a situation like that, even just for kicks. It had to be a lie. “He must have meant after I came back.”

“I’m not sure, he didn’t clarify.” He scooted closer so he was next to Daniel rather than behind him, “What are you doing out here?”

“Smoke break.” 

“But you’re not smoking.”

“Didn’t give me much time to get the chance.” He said and then reached into his pockets for a lighter and pack.

_ ‘Oh great.’ _

  
  


He forgot that he had smoked the entire thing within the first week of getting there. The craving and instinct was so involuntary it totally slipped his mind. Instead he pulled out something plastic from his pocket and the boy by his side immediately perked up curiously.

“What’s that? Candy? Gum?”

“Uh…” He wasn’t sure at first himself. He blinked and brought it closer, recognizing the small square stickers from weeks ago. He hadn’t worn the pair of jeans all month, must have forgot it was in there. Thank god he didn’t throw it in with the laundry. 

“What the hell are those?”

“Nothing.” He lowered them to put them back.

“Well you don’t have cigarettes. Why are you out here?” Pikeman repeated. 

“You ever heard of the need for privacy?”

“For what?”

“Dammit I don’t know, to think?” It came off in a snappy tone. It wasn’t totally off that he honestly needed a mental recess. He wasn’t used to being near kids, let alone all day every day for a month long, and more to come. 

“Sorry.” Pikeman apologized. 

Suddenly Daniel felt bad over something so minimal. The boy had a certain aura to him and through his actions of clinging to Daniel, he found himself starting to reciprocate similar feelings. He guessed it must have been a slight pang of loneliness, since after all, David’s main focus directed towards responsibility. But he had the almost full attention of this younger look-alike as a temporary fill-in. That pang kicked in when the boy started to stand up.

“Hey,” Daniel intervened while almost physically reaching out, “You don’t have to go back. You can stay for a few minutes if you want to.”

“Oh, okay then.” He replied with a split second smile.

Then came the awkward silence. Daniel fidgeted with the bag poking out of his pocket, rubbing the smooth plastic as it crinkled with the movement of his thumb.

“...Do you want to try something new with me?” He asked.

He shouldn’t have asked it. He should have kept his mouth shut until the boy got bored and walked back to camp. The instant the words came out of his mouth and finished in the verbal curl of a question mark, he felt the stab of regret in his chest. 

“Nevermi--” He was cut off by eagerness.

“Sure. Like what?” Pikeman asked in response.

_ ‘Not too late to back out now--’ _

Pikeman continued, interrupting the thought, “Does it have to do with that bag you have?”

“Yeah. If you’re up for it. You don’t have to.”

“No, I don’t mind. What is it? What does it do?”

Daniel took it out, “It makes you see weird things. Changes your perception, your vision. Uh, how do I explain it…”

“So it’s a drug?”

“Yeah, but it’s not that bad. You won’t die from it.”  _ ‘I don’t think so, at least.’  _ “I haven’t done it myself yet, I planned to do it with David but I don’t think he’d be open-minded about it.”

“Well I am. I’ll do it. It sounds fun!”

“You have to keep this a secret too, promise?”

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Good… I’ll go first then.”

The blonde opened the ziploc and took a piece, “And remember, don’t immediately swallow it. Just let it sit on your tongue, like you’re waiting for it to melt like candy.” He took the tab and set it in his own mouth, and then took another for Pikeman. The boy opened his mouth and Daniel stuck it on like a sticker.

“Now I’ll be right back,” Daniel said, “Don’t worry I’ll only be a minute to check on the others, make sure they’re in bed.” He got up before giving a friendly ruffle to the kid’s hair and walking back to the cabins.

Before the effects kicked in he had to make sure David and the kids would be out of sight. Fortunately the area around the dying fire was devoid of persons, meaning everyone was where they were supposed to be. After a quick run to grab two water bottles and a spare lantern, he returned to an impatient kid lying on his back and an empty bag.

“Holy shit, what’d you do?” Daniel asked. “Did you take the rest of the tabs?”

“Nothing happened so yeah.”

“Well geez, Pikeman, they take a while to kick in…”

“Oh.” He sat up, suddenly worried. “Is that bad? Will I die?”

“No, no you won’t. Honestly, you’ll probably be fine…” He still wasn’t sure but, better to lie instead of cause panic.

“How long do we wait then?”

Daniel sat down, handing him a water bottle, “Not quite sure. I’ve heard it can take an hour even.”

“Oh. That’s lame.”

“Tell me about it.” 

“What if I fall asleep?”

“Then you’ll just fall asleep… Maybe have some crazy as fuck dreams.”

“Hm.”

“Yeah, ‘hm’ indeed.” He lied down, taking in the fresh air and closing his eyes until the effects kicked in.

Pikeman stayed sitting up, clutching the grass in anxiousness. He flinched a few minutes later, he wasn’t sure how long it had been. He could have sworn he saw a shadow move in his peripheral view. He brushed it off until it happened again after another three minutes, then he pulled on Daniel’s sleeve.

“I saw something.” He said. “I don’t know what it was.”

“It’s probably the side effects, it’s fine.”

“I don’t know…”

Daniel didn’t reply and Pikeman waited longer. 

“I’m starting to see phosphenes.” Daniel mentioned, opening his eyes to see if they’d disappear on their own. 

“What does that mean?”

“Lights that aren’t there. Is that what you were seeing too?”

“N-no… The opposite. I’m seeing shadows. I even think I heard something. Can that happen?”

“I guess.”

“...Daniel, how do I stop it?”

Daniel chuckled lightly, “You can’t ‘stop’ it. You have to wait it out. You don’t feel good?”

“No. I feel bad.”

“Just calm down. Whatever you’re seeing or hearing isn’t real…” He waved his hand in front himself, amused, “Woah. You don’t see that?”

Pikeman looked at his own hands through the dark, picking up movement on the surface of his palms but only visibly. He quickly jerked them down to the grass to rub them off instinctively as if there were insects crawling on him. He closed his eyes, and then that's when he began to physically feel the manifestation of tiny crawling legs trail up his left arm like invisible centipedes. The hairs rose up as a chill ran down his spine but as he opened his eyes again there were no insects present. Instead, there was a big hand on top of his own, one that felt hot to the touch.

As it moved to grace his arm once more, Pikeman wanted to recoil. It was suddenly as if the air around them was cooler and the skin-on-skin contact was increasing in temperature, like a stove top heating.

He finally was able to change his body language, brushing the older male away and slinking his left hand into his lap while his right held onto the skin previously mentally burnt from the touch.

“I don’t feel good.” Pikeman said again. “Can you get sick from it? Daniel?”

Daniel only gave a laugh and fell back against the grass, brushing a hand through his hair and staring at the stars. Normally it would have been nice to see the counselor so happy for once, but it wasn’t just that. He was under the influence, therefore it wasn’t quite genuine. To put it simply, it didn’t feel like he was himself, and it was a bit unnerving. It gave him the same apprehension caused by when adults around him would get drunk. Like they could end up doing something dangerous, even if they were smiling. 

“Daniel.” Pikeman said again. “Can we go inside?”

The blonde’s eyes were closed, ignoring the boy’s worries. 

Pikeman sighed, “I’m gonna at least turn on the lamp.” 

He reached over the still body in the way of the lantern to grab a hold of it before yelling as the collar of his shirt was yanked to pull him down. His shallow breathing from his mouth calmed down and went back through his nose slowly as he realized it was Daniel, a real person, rather than something from his mind caused by too many tabs. Daniel was real. So was the grass beneath them. It may have looked odd, full of swirls and figmented shapes he couldn’t explain. As long as he could keep that in mind, the difference between reality and illusion, it would be fine. It would wear off eventually. Daniel was right, it would be fine.

Although the blonde still hadn’t let go of him. Eyes still shut. After a moment of stillness, Pikeman continued reaching for the lantern and Daniel resumed chuckling. 

“What’s so funny?” Pikeman asked, finally meeting blue eyes that looked black. 

They stared at him as the silence resumed besides the sounds of crickets around the lake. The dim reflections of stars were more blurry than usual, like passing lamp posts while in a speeding car except they were still. As if Pikeman was squinting. They swirled around like everything else around him. Or perhaps it was part of the weird phenomena Daniel had mentioned about artificial light sources. A smile stuck plastered on his face that slowly turned into a grin. Pikeman felt the fear rise like bile up in his throat and attempted to reel himself back but was forced forward down to Daniel’s level again.

“You don’t know what it’s like.” Daniel said vaguely. 

“What? What do you mean?”

Daniel stared lower at the boy’s lips, eyes still darkened by his own dilated pupils, “Plagued by urges.”

He didn’t want to ask, but his words betrayed him, “What kind?”

Daniel’s smile widened into a grin before he made the move of pulling all the way down so their mouths could touch. Just as bad as before, the touch felt amplified, searing the boy’s lips. Yet his body was frozen still again. He couldn’t react, whether it was a violent shove or a quiet whine. Neither seemed possible as a wet tongue swept past his lips and against his braces in such a gross manner that only made him clench his jaw tighter.  _ Nobody  _ kissed him like that. If you could even call it that. Usually he’d get a kiss on the cheek or forehead from female family members but never on the lips, never from a guy, and never… Never like this.

But he’d seen enough of it in his own life to know it was meant to be between two adults, a woman and a man from what he knew. People in love. Daniel didn’t feel that way about him, right? So why did Daniel keep delving into it by biting his stained lips and grabbing his waist to pull it down to settle against the older male’s own? Warmth travelled up his side as a hand felt underneath his shirt and a tighter grip was pressed against his flesh like one of those branding irons on the old westerns his dad watched. Nails dug into him and the biting got harder, finally getting a verbal reaction out of him.

“Ow!” Pikeman yelped as he pushed off against the counselor’s chest. “Quit!”

“Don’t be stubborn.” 

“This isn’t like you,” He said, still shoving, “I wanna go to bed now.”

“You were so eager to stay up with me earlier.” Daniel pointed out as he sat up with the boy on his lap. He nipped at his neck and Pikeman squirmed.

“That was before--!”

“Before what?”

“Daniel. Let go of me.”

A split second was all it took for his body to be slammed against the ground, hard enough to knock the air out of his lungs and make his head spin. His wrists were pinned, the same position he was thrown into earlier after sneaking up on the counselor. 

“Look at me.” Daniel stated. Pikeman squinted his eyelids open and he continued all while tightening his grip to cut circulation, “You’ve been teasing me this entire month and now you’re suddenly not interested?”

“What?”

“You can play innocent but I’m not naive. You should know this by now after spying on me every day. I’m nothing like David and you  _ know _ this.”

“I know! I know you’re not like him! Let go, please, it hurts.” 

“Admit it then.”

“Admit what?”

Somehow the grip got tighter and he screamed in pain instead, loud enough for Daniel to soften it somewhat. Tears were forming in his eyes by then, but after the paranoid glance the man gave in the distance, he realized the blonde only eased up due to fear of being caught, not sympathy. 

Daniel looked back down and whispered quieter, “How do you feel about me?”

He was acting  _ weird,  _ extremely weird. His eyes darted again and a squeeze was given to get Pikeman to answer his question.

“Scared.”

Daniel’s amused smile reappeared as he laughed, “I already know  _ that.  _ But you like me, don’t you?” He gave a lighter laugh after that, “Simply admit it.”

“W-well yeah, why wouldn’t I? You’ve been nice to me. You’ve actually listened to me…”

“I have, haven’t I? I’ve listened to you, I’ve treated you with respect, I taught you how to protect yourself and gave you advice. Because you’re mature for your age, and you shouldn’t be treated like another little kid. You’re different from your peers… I was the same way when I was your age. I actually listened to my elders. It gets you further in life. You know this.”

Pikeman nodded and whispered a small ‘yeah’.

“And I know you like me more than simple admiration,” Daniel continued, “It’s okay to admit that you have a crush on me.”

“But it’s not.” Pikeman tried to refute while his face remained hot from embarrassment. “You’re a guy. You’re my counselor.  _ You’re an adult.” _

“So?”

“That’s wrong.”

Daniel’s smile faded, “So is bringing a knife to camp. So is lying to David. A lot of things are wrong, Pikeman. Morality is fake. There is no right or wrong. You think your father was on the other side of the planet fighting for our freedom? He was fucking killing people because of politics. We had no business being over there, your daddy’s got blood on his hands for no good reason. No one is a saint. You’re ignorant if you believe otherwise.”

“I didn’t say that… It’s just…”

The blonde actually waited for him to finish. The round eyes bore into him as did the following question that came out of his mouth.

“Aren’t you in love with David?” Pikeman asked.

Daniel blinked a couple times as if he had an eyelash stuck, looking away and then moving off the smaller figure. The rush of relief washed through Pikeman, getting air back into his lungs as if he had been holding his breath the entire time. The man wasn’t facing him anymore, rather sitting up as if he was pondering on standing to leave. 

“Yeah, I do.” Daniel responded. “Don’t tell him about this.”

“I won’t…”

“Now go to bed.” The counselor grabbed one of the water bottles and stood up without facing the boy, then walked off back to camp.

The grass brushed against his hands made him flinch to sit up. He held them close to his chest, shaky breath escaping as he almost gave a choked cry. Everything still looked distorted, seemingly getting worse. He needed to sleep it off and hope Daniel was right about not dying from the overdose he took. After drinking some water himself for his dry mouth, he took it and the lantern back to his cabin.

The door slowly squeaked open as he tried to remain as quiet as a moth even though he expected the other boys to be secretly up talking. He wasn’t sure whether or not it was fortunate for him that they were. He thought Daniel checked up on them to make sure they were in bed, but they had a small lamp on and stopped mid-sentence when he entered the room. They must have been faking.

“What were you doing out with Daniel?” Harrison asked, obviously noisy.

Max had a comic book out, an issue of  _ Ghost Rider  _ opened in front of his face as he lied down while listening, he set it on his chest to budge in on the conversation, “Yeah you’ve been hanging out with him a lot. It’s a bit weird.”

Pikeman shrugged, “We were just talking.” He went over to his bed, a lower bunk in the corner of the room away from the one light source that burned his eyes.

“What’s up with your pupils?” Neil asked, eyebrows furrowing. “They’re gigantic.”

“I was out in the dark a lot. That’s what they do.”

“Not to that extent.” 

“I just want to sleep…” He said bitterly, not bothering to take off his shoes or anything, simply lying down and turning to face away from the lamp.

“Well we’re staying up longer, so if you end up having a problem with that you can go to the other cabin rather than complaining.” Max mentioned while bringing his comic back to his face.

Space Kid, who was sharing a bunk with Pikeman, poked his head up from above, prodded him with the repeated question of Harrison, “What’d you guys talk about? Edward?”

“Don’t call me that.” Pikeman snapped. 

“Sorry. What’d he say to you?”

“Nothing. We just talked…” He repeated.

“About?”

“Stuff.”

“For a full hour?” Harrison asked. “That’s a lot of ‘stuff’.”

“Look, I said I just wanted to go to bed, okay?”

“Other cabin has a vacancy spot.” Max reminded.

“I’m fine. Just stop asking me things.” He pulled his blanket up to fully cover his head, giving him a warm and dark space to sleep off the edging paranoia and constant mirages he was seeing. He expected it to calm down as he slept and go away completely tomorrow morning. 

As much as he tried not to think about it, he couldn’t help but ruminate about the events of that night. It started off so carefree. A game of tag, a cookout, and fireworks. The smell of hamburgers and firecrackers. The taste of ice cream and popsicles. It was just like how they’d celebrate at his grandparent’s house in Tennessee where the neighborhood would have a block party and play corn hole. At sundown he often caught lightning bugs that were frequent in summer. They would always end the night by releasing the glowing insects from their poked-lid jar and watch them go, shake the stubborn ones out. He hadn’t experienced an Independence Day like that in a couple years due to his parents sending him to camp. This year after meeting the new counselors it wasn’t so bad, he was excited for once. But now he wasn’t sure.

He liked the counselors, he did. The kids, not so much. He especially liked Daniel starting out, obviously. Daniel was right too, he had a crush on the elder. Normally he would have been thrilled to know his crush felt the same about him, but Daniel was over a decade older than him and he was still a kid. He would have been fine if it simply stayed one-sided in this case. There was always the fact too that he knew Daniel was in love with David. He thought so at least, he knew about their secret relationship by then and if David found out it wouldn’t be good. It could ruin the rest of summer. None of it felt good, he didn’t like thinking about it. Keeping his eyes shut, he focused on sleep.

  
  
  


Unbeknownst to him beforehand, he wouldn’t be able to fall under. Over and over, he considered going to the counselor’s cabin to wake up David for comfort, or even Daniel. Being alone while the blackness distorted in on itself, while colors came out of nowhere to trick himself that he was sleeping, was a nightmare. The longer it went on the more intense the hallucinations got. It must have been two in the morning when it peaked, when he heard the door creak open.

At that point he wasn’t sure if it was in his mind or not. The things he had been seeing, _like the bugs on the walls,_ he wasn’t sure if they had been real. He kept telling himself they weren’t there, that all of it wasn’t real. Even when one made its way on the bed and he slapped it dead and more sprouted from its body, scattering across his arms and legs to his face, they couldn’t be real. So when the figure entered and made its way closer to the bed, he told himself _‘it’s not real’._

The tall male besides his bed crouched down as he was facing the other way staring at the wall. A hand grabbed his shoulder to push him flat against the mattress, covering his mouth as a cold knife faintly touched his neck. 

_ “Don’t make a sound.”  _ A whispered voice said to him.

At first he thought it was his own conscience telling him to stay silent out of survival instinct, but he recognized the voice. The knife was lowered and his body was moved to the further side of the bed. It creaked as more weight was put on it, the older male pressed against Pikeman as they lied next to each other. A hand went into his hair, massaging it nice and slowly. If it wasn’t for the knife, he would have guessed it was a simple check-in.

No words were spoken due to the threat, instead he let another hand begin to touch his lower abdomen and stray further down. He closed his eyes as he let Daniel fondle with him, half hoping he’d stop, other half wanting for it to continue. It was his mind vs his body, but deep down it was fear overruling to keep him silent and still.

As badly as it got, he didn’t want the others to wake up. It seemed like an odd thing to be embarrassed about but bringing attention was out of question. He would endure what he could put up with, even as it got too much for him to handle.

Clothes were pulled down for further exploration, lips and teeth at his shoulder and fingers where he rather not mention. He was brought in closer to the warm body of lust at his left, adjusting so he was on his side like before, facing the wall as something poked his lower back.  _ ‘Something’, _ he knew what it was, he wasn’t that dense, but it was easier to not think about it. It was gross, horribly gross, it made him physically cringe when it started to go in, his arms tensing and eyes clenching shut. And it  _ hurt.  _

As if the mental mind tricks of the skin-on-skin burning sensation wasn’t enough, this time it manifested itself with a real burn. He knew it was real now, the stinging wouldn’t let him believe otherwise. Neither would the pressure on his wrist or the hot breath one inch too close to his ear, whispering words his mind could barely keep up with, yet each time a sharp ‘s’ sound was made it hurt like it did during certain songs were too loud on a headset. 

_ “This is for the better,”  _ Daniel tried convincing, voice hushed,  _ “I can guide you through it so it’s not as bad.” _

He didn’t  _ want  _ help with it. He didn’t want it to happen at all. He wanted the man to shut up so no one would wake up and find out. He wanted Daniel to leave. He wanted to go back home. 

Another quick motion of friction had him react in pain, and he was immediately shushed for it. The hand around his wrist moved lower to intwine their fingers intimately while Daniel moved his hips gently. 

_ “That’s it… You’re doing good.” _

Good meant silent. Good meant compliant. That’s what it always meant to adults. Whether it was in school, at home, or here at camp. 

His heart picked up the pace as the pain increased, as did the bed’s creaking with the older man’s weight making the frame shake. 

_ ‘Don’t notice, please don’t notice.’  _ Pikeman paranoidly thought, hoping to god the kid above them was a heavy sleeper.  _ ‘Don’t wake up.’ _

_ “Don’t cry.”  _ Daniel told him pitifully.

He didn’t even realize that he was until he opened his eyes and felt the warm stream of tears leak out. He would have questioned how Daniel knew but it was apparent in his hitched breaths.

A finger circled around the dorsal side of his hand soothingly, only to pin it to the mattress as they changed positions. Now he felt more suffocated, claustrophobic with his face pressed against a pillow that only made it harder to breathe. He crooked his neck to the side so he could get some fresh air to help his short shallow respiring settle somewhat. His hair was brushed back from his face but he didn’t try looking up at the man. 

_ “Call me ‘sir’.”  _ Daniel ordered.

Pikeman hesitated from previously being told not to make any sort of sound, not sure if he was even  _ able _ to speak up due to his dry mouth and sore throat. Eventually he managed to squeak a whispered  _ ‘sir, please stop’ _ which only made it worse. Daniel didn’t seem to care about getting caught, fucking into him harder and speaking at a slightly louder volume as he moaned his name. Not the one of his preference, but the one he hated. 

_ “Come on Edward, say more for me.” _

He wanted to say  _ ‘don’t call me that’  _ like he normally would have, instead he let out another begging  _ ‘please’.  _

Time began to distort as much as his visual surroundings as it was drawn out. It was excruciating. Any physical pleasure he may have involuntarily felt was mostly drowned out by pain. As for the male above him, it was pure ecstasy, the drugs heightening the pleasure of the experience. To him it should have been longer.

Pikeman didn’t bother responding towards the end, too exhausted to put in the effort, not that it was helping his situation. Fortunately the older male had enough decency to pull out before climaxing, at least it would make the cleanup easier, lessening the grimy feeling that had built up during the day from playing outdoors without a proper shower. Yet without warning he was turned around and forced to open his mouth as the counselor’s erection stuck itself in. 

His head was kept still as Daniel thrust in a few times. He did his best not to choke loudly from it. It came out and instead of letting it back inside he chose to clench his teeth shut. Warm seminal fluid hit his mouth as the man groaned low out of satisfaction. Pikeman stayed put, eyes shut, teeth closed as the tip of Daniel’s cock rubbed against his coated braces and poked his inner upper lip teasingly. Another moan followed by a soft hair ruffle let him know it was finally over and done.

Almost.

_ “Clean it up first.” _

He closed his lips to lick it off the metal brackets and rubbed the rest of it with his arm. Daniel gave three light taps against his cheek and began to move off the bed. He wasn’t expecting a speech, but he did expect something more. But all he heard before the blonde left was a zipper and a short and (not) sweet,  _ ‘good night’. _

He closed his eyes and laid back in bed. If it wasn’t for the fatigue he would have gotten up and left to cry by the lake, or someplace unexplored. Instead he lied down, keeping his cries silent, praying he’d fall asleep already. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaand this has now become my longest fic up to date! whaddya know it beat my horrible awful cringe unfinished abo !!! unfortunately I am all caught up now soooo no more backup chapters for when I’m slacking. Now y’all gotta wait for my elderly self to take my time updating I’m sorry :// back in my day we updated DanVid fics every single day ! but once you turn 18 I guess things change 🙄 ! ok im done being stupid and trying to be haha funny.
> 
> have a good holiday! or at least a good day. nationalism is shit but bomb pops are unironically amazing 👍🏻 Thanks!


	26. Secret's Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blah blah fuck proofreading I spent days feeling stuck with words and then wrote most of this in one go in a random burst so I'm impatient ! yea.

The incidents from July 4th weren’t talked about, but it showed itself in obvious ways. Pikeman wasn’t a talker to begin with but after that night he seemed to clamp shut completely. He barely spoke, ate, or participated. Even the kids noticed it and told David that he had been going off into the forest by himself every night. Daniel wasn’t too bothered by it despite remembering what he did, knowing it was his doing that made the boy react like that out of the blue. It was only when David expressed his concern in private after a few days of noticing nothing getting better that Daniel shared concern but for different reasons. 

It was during the day after lunch once he noticed another full plate after a half hour of silence that he had to speak up again. David brought his co-counselor to their cabin and shut the door with a sigh.

“I don’t know what to do.” David said. “If he doesn’t eat he’s going to end up passing out if we make him participate in activities. I’ve even offered to go into town for junk food. He won’t tell me what’s wrong. Has he said anything to you?”

“Nope. But it’s only been a few days, I’m sure it’s a mood swing. He’s almost a teenager and you know how it gets at that age. I did the same thing when I was thirteen. Locked myself in my room all the time. It’s normal.” Daniel said confidently.

“But _that_ suddenly? I don’t know… I think something happened. He was fine the whole month but after the fourth of July he’s been acting differently…”

“Are you saying too many popsicles made him sick of eating? Post-traumatic stress disorder from fireworks?” Daniel joked.

David didn’t laugh, instead he gave him a disappointed look that told him to stop.

Daniel sighed, “Okay, well, maybe it’s because the competition is over. He had something to look forward to and now he doesn’t. He could have been depressed in general before we met him, but perked up because of that.”

“I think it’s deeper than that.”

“Then what do you think it is?”

The redhead took time to think, staring to the side to ponder for a minute before giving up, “I don’t know… I wish he’d speak to me. Are you sure you don’t know anything? Has he not told you anything beforehand? Or have you said anything to him?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Daniel asked, feeling accused.

“Well you know how you can be sometimes…”

“No, I don’t. What do you mean? Do you think I traumatized him somehow?”

“No! No… I’m not saying that. I’m just wondering if you said something that may have made him upset... Like your existential talks.”

“Oh brother, give me a break. A small reality check isn’t going to make him suddenly anorexic. And for the record, no, I haven’t. I may not be adjusted to being around kids but I know my limits. You’ve seen it yourself, have I gotten out of line around them since I’ve been here? Have they expressed any hatred towards me specifically? If anything they’ve shown more of an interest in me over you. Especially Pikeman. The kid wouldn’t leave me alone before. Christ, I can’t believe you really think of me like that.”

The words hit David _hard_. A mix of sudden insecurity and guilt crushed his chest. He didn’t mean to come off as jumping to conclusions. And did they really prefer Daniel over him? Was he doing that bad of a job? He thought he was good with kids but thinking back on it, maybe he wasn’t as charismatic for it. If he wasn’t good as a camp counselor there was no way he’d make it as a teacher. He couldn’t ever be a parent if kids didn’t like him. No, he shouldn’t have been focusing on that right now. He hurt Daniel, he needed to apologize for it. 

“I’m sorry.” David stated. “I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything. I was just hoping for better insight. I’m just worried about him. I don’t want him to believe he can’t talk to us. I don’t want his parents to be concerned either if we can’t fix this before the end of summer…”

Daniel relaxed his posture, thankful his reaction geared David away from the accusation rather than fixate it on the very real possibility. 

“It’s okay… When was the last time you talked to him? How’d you go about it?”

“Yesterday. I told him he could talk to us, that I _wanted_ him to talk to us. I just asked him what was wrong and he didn’t say anything. I even told him I wouldn’t tell anyone else if it was a secret. I couldn’t get a word out of him.”

“Maybe we need to wait longer. I’d say I could try to speak to him but I know he won’t give me a response.”

“Could you try anyways?”

_‘Frankly I’m the last person he wants to talk to right now.’_ Daniel wanted to admit. Instead he thought it over. He could say he could try and simply lie, say that Pikeman wouldn’t say anything to him either. He could threaten Pikeman the importance of acting natural to save his own ass. Or he could say no.

“I’ll think about it.” Daniel said.

“Okay.” David accepted, sitting at the desk to look at another scribbled list of things he could do to elevate some moods. As he shook his pen in thought, he asked another question despite its risks, “You’d let me know if there was something going on, right? As much as it’d hurt, you’d tell me. I-I’m not accusing you, I just mean if Edward has something going on at home or with the other kids… Or even with the Quartermaster or my uncle. Anything... I’d rather know than be protected.”

There _was_ something he needed to know. Unrelated to the campers. Daniel still never told him about the conversation on the lake. At first Daniel considered telling him after returning home, but if there was proof he needed to hear from Campbell himself then it needed to be said before camp was over. He planned on waiting though. Yet now with Pikeman, perhaps it was better to use that topic to his own advantage. If David got caught up enough in his own family revelation, then maybe he’d put aside finding out what was wrong with the depressive camper. Then David wouldn’t prod Pikeman enough to find out what Daniel did to him. It would benefit all of them… It could work. 

It _would_ work. 

“Yes, I would… In fact I am. But it’s not related to Edward.” Daniel started out, getting the attention back from David who swerved his chair to meet his eyes.

“What is it?” David clicked his pen nervously.

“I’ve been trying to think of the best way to tell you without hurting you. But I guess since you’ve said to be upfront, I’ll say it now.”

David’s clicking stopped, and it felt like his heart had as well. Whatever Daniel was about to tell him, he suddenly realized he wasn’t ready for it. 

_‘He’s not breaking up with me, is he?’_ He thought in panic.

“David, remember when me and Campbell were fishing on the lake?”

“Yeah…”

Daniel wanted to tell him to not be nervous out of instinct, but he couldn’t straddle the fence with this. It had to be said without the sugar coating. It was for David’s best interest after all.

“He’s not your uncle. He’s not related to you in any way besides through association.”

“What? He told you that?”

“Yes. He doesn’t even know who your parents are. If they’re alive, if they’re dead… He has no clue. You were adopted randomly.”

David smiled in disbelief, “But I’ve written to them. I’ve called them. Heck, I’ve seen pictures of them!”

“I don’t know what exactly Campbell did to weave that lie together but, I assume the pictures are of random people, or are distant family of _his._ The calls are probably a fake number. But he did tell me that he kept all the letters. Because he never did give you their address, did he?”

“No… He said he didn’t want me running off to them…”

“Yeah, I wonder why.” Daniel said sarcastically. He sighed, glancing back to David who was looking at the desk, smile wiped, only furrowed brows of puzzlement. “David?”

Maybe he _should_ have eased into it… _‘I hope I didn’t just break him.’_ He thought.

“David?” He repeated. “Look, I know--”

“No, you don’t. Whatever you’re about to say, you don’t _know.”_

“Okay, I don’t. But I’m here for you. I know that at least, you do too. It’s okay--”

“That’s not what I meant. You don’t know if it’s true. Campbell was probably pulling your leg. Just to see how gullible you are.” _‘Like he does with me.’_

“Let’s go ask then.”

David turned to him, “No, you said he kept the letters right? I need to see those.” _‘I need to see proof.’_

“Where do you think he’d keep them?”

The ginger stood up and grabbed his car keys, “His house. I think I may know where they are.”

“You don’t think they’d be at camp? Shouldn’t we check here first?”

He shook his head, “No, he wouldn’t keep them around with the kids…”

“Do you need me to come with you?”

Normally he would have _begged_ Daniel to come along, to give support and comfort him, especially with something as dire as this. Instead he shook his head, 

“No, I need you to watch over the kids. Keep an eye on Edward. Please.”

“I will, I love you.”

David nodded and left, taking his car to Campbell’s house. There was no way of knowing if his uncle was even there, as he usually parked his car in the garage so there was no clear indication pulling up the driveway. Given the time it took to get there he expected to be able to come up with something to say if he did bump into the older male. Luckily it didn’t matter that his mind was pretty devoid of preplanning. He unlocked the front door and stepped inside, nobody in sight. 

Still hesitant, he shut the door behind him carefully. There were three places he knew to check in the house: the attic, basement, and Campbell’s room. He started with the bedroom, breath held out of apprehension as he creaked the door open. He released it after seeing the empty bed and lack of snoring. Campbell must have been out of the house, who knows where exactly, David thought. 

“Where would he keep them…” He said aloud to himself. _‘Drawer or closet perhaps.’_

He checked the closet first, mostly full of clothes and boxes of shoes. One of the boxes was bigger yet lighter than the rest so he pulled it closer and opened it. There were a few old Polaroids that David recognized as his own, extra pictures of Jasper and him along with some of them with Campbell. Good memories, often at camp or at their old house. Nothing unusual from that, but he noticed papers at the bottom of the box. 

Flipping them over he realized they were birth certificates, Campbell’s and a copy of his own. He looked at the names in place of parents on the original certificate, already knowing about Campbell’s ex-girlfriend who had been around when they adopted him. That wasn’t kept a secret from him, nothing was out of line there. Nothing _seemed_ out of the ordinary. The man who raised him was an honest guy for the most part, sometimes _too_ honest when it came to his unasked opinions. David usually only noticed him lying for things like where he was all night returning with the stench of alcohol following him, or stuff related to jobs. But for the most part, he was down to the point. So it was more of a wonder why he’d lie about this, if he was.

The lid went back on the box and David checked the drawers. Nothing but extra clothes. Nothing else in the room gave any hints so he was off to the attic. He checked under the bed just in case. Still nothing. It was safe to say there wasn’t anything useful there either, only dust and boxes full of his old childhood toys. Well, the few that he had.

For such a huge house there really weren’t many places to search. But he knew the basement had the most junk, it could take hours if he wanted to delve that deep into all the old holiday decorations, passed down family heirlooms, and useless spare parts of cars and things he couldn’t identify. When he stepped down into the musky room he stared at the stacks of boxes and felt a pang of regret for not bringing Daniel along to help. Thankfully upon closer inspection they were labelled, correctly at that, but none of the labels were anywhere near what he was looking for. For all he knew, it could be shoved in a random box, or not there at all. Was looking even worth it? Would it be better to just leave it alone?

No, it’d nag him endlessly now that the possibility arisen, by someone else he trusted to the ends of the Earth... He’d at least look for a few minutes. 

He started with family things due to association, not digging deep, only shifting things around to get a general look inside at the contents before going for another box. Repeating the action over and over until he was at least fifteen boxes in, he decided to give up. He wasn’t getting anywhere, and a gut instinct told him he wasn’t going to get anywhere. There had to be a different option, something else down there that he had never noticed before as a kid, because he wrote a shitload of letters, if they were kept in the same spot it couldn’t have been that much of a minimal space, it should have been noticeable. 

A sigh left his mouth as he stared at a blank space on the wall, then noticing the safe. 

_‘He wouldn’t keep worthless pieces of paper in a safe. I don’t even know the code.’_

Yet he could always guess a few times. If it didn’t work, he could give up and confront Campbell later. Force him to show the letters somehow. 

“I guess it doesn’t hurt to try.” David said aloud, stepping past the boxes and to the wall.

It was a standard safe, three-number combination lock that went from 0-99 with a steel metal casing that stuck inside the concrete. If the combination wasn’t completely random, it must have been a date. He went with Campbell’s birth date first, resetting the combination with three turns clockwise before putting in the numbers he memorized. He pulled down on the lock but it didn’t budge. 

“Okay, important dates... Maybe _my_ birthday?”

_‘3 right, 12 left, 52 right, pull.’_

Still no budge.

_  
  
‘What about Jasper’s?’_

It was an odd choice, but good since he doubted anyone would think of it.

_‘Reset. 5 right, 22 left, 51 right. Pull.’_

He gave a rough tug and it still didn’t unlock. 

_‘It must be random…’_ He thought in discouragement. After giving some thoughts, he came up with a few more ideas. It could have been his ex’s birth date, or an anniversary, but unfortunately he didn’t know those. He didn’t even know what date she left. 

_‘Wait…’_

He did it one last time, the only other date he remembered that had significance, and it worked. The date the camp reopened worked.

After removing the padlock, he braced himself subconsciously before swinging the door open. There were a few stacks of money as a backup he must have guessed, along with land ownership papers, all next to a tied stack of mostly white letters. He reached in and grabbed them, not needing to look at the top one to know they were his. He stared anyway after shutting the safe, reading his address and name next to the blank space that Campbell was supposed to fill in before sending them to the post office. He was frozen in place, unsure of his next motive.

  
  
  
  


Daniel was sitting with Pikeman at the dock, trying to get him to speak up, or at least nod his head in response to the questions directed at him. He had found the kid inside David’s old fort out in the forest and dragged him back to camp. After the few words of protest he had been silent since.

“Pikeman, we have two more months of this. Eventually you’ll be forced to eat and say something, so you might as well get over it sooner.”

Silence.

Daniel sighed, “You know you can’t talk to anyone else about it. So you might as well talk to me. Even if it’s to curse me off, I don’t care. I just need to know you’re not going to try starving yourself to death and keep worrying David.”

It wasn’t the fact that he was trying to starve himself to purposely die, he knew it’d be easier just trying to spill out the secret and have Daniel kill him. Although that didn’t sound too bad of an option after the constant emotional ache that wouldn’t go away. Yet he was scared of death, so it wasn’t that much of an easy way out. The fact was he didn’t have an appetite. That’s it. He just didn’t want to eat. There was no urge, and forcing himself to close his mouth around something was difficult, let alone getting it down his throat. It felt gross. He didn’t want to do it anymore. And same with talking. If he had kept his mouth shut and kept to himself like he normally did, none of what happened to him would have occurred. He shouldn’t have gotten close.

The blue eyes at his side stayed on him despite the fact he wouldn’t face the blonde, instead he sat with his chin resting on his knees while staring out at the blinding light that reflected on the lake, almost as if he was pouting over something minor.

“I don’t want to threaten you again but I can,” Daniel said, giving up. “And we don’t need to be close again but I at least need you to fake it in front of David. How you do it doesn’t matter. Look at me.” 

Pikeman finally turned his head, barely able to meet the pale eyes that once appeared black. It was odd how different they were now compared to that night. Before they were like an abyss, black holes that were too strong to read. Now they were bright, almost blinding to look at like the water, but they held the unmistakable emotion of irritation. 

_“Edward.”_

The boy then matched his tone, “Don’t fucking call me that.”

The man smirked, not only satisfied Pikeman finally spoke but also at the fact that he managed to hit a soft spot.

“Knew you had it in you. How come? What sappy tale is it now?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” Pikeman said, putting his face back in the nook of his legs, looking down at the edge of the dock.

“Oh so I get you to speak for five seconds and you want to close up on me again? Don’t be shy, let’s hear it.”

He adjusted his arms to rest on his knees and glanced in the opposite direction, “My dad’s friend.”

“What about him?”

“He does the same shit you did. He gets too close and touches me. And he calls me that constantly. He makes it weird.”

“But doesn’t everyone call you that? It’s your real name, isn’t it?”

He shook his head, “My teachers refer to us by last name. My parents call me by nicknames. It’s not something I hear often, not even here. Well, the past years I didn’t. But Max and them are assholes and David wouldn’t get it unless I told him why. You were okay about it until…” He trailed off into silence, not bothering explaining the obvious.

_“Shit.”_ Daniel said under his breath. “Look, I’m sorry. I wasn’t myself. You know that, right? I wasn’t in control. I should have made it safer for you, or just not taken it at all. I shouldn’t have let you try it either. It would have been better for both of us if I forgot it in the wash. Waste of twelve dollars but it would have been better.”

Pikeman forced a quick breath out of his nose like he was amused but not enough to laugh or smile.

“I can’t make it up to you,” Daniel admitted, “But I can try the best I can. I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t explain to David about why, but I’ll convince him to call you Pikeman. I’ll make it so the other campers do too. In return, you eat and at least answer when spoken to. Got it?”

The boy nodded.

“I said, _got it?”_

“Yes, sir.” Pikeman replied softly.

“Good. I’ll leave you alone now then.” 

The man stood up and Pikeman almost told him to wait and ask him to stay, whether it was out of instinct or loneliness, he wasn’t sure, but he stopped himself from saying anything and listened to the footsteps walk off behind him.

When walking back to the main area of the camp, Daniel heard a car door slam shut in the distance so he walked towards it where the counselor’s cabin was. It was David, who held a pack of letters close to his chest with one arm while wiping tears with his other. Daniel tried approaching him as he walked by in an attempt to ask what happened, but David kept walking past. 

“David.” He stated in a louder tone.

The younger male paused his steps for a moment to reply, “You were right. He kept them from me.”

“I’m sorry. David, what are you--”

David kept walking to their cabin and then slammed the door behind him. Daniel sighed, putting his hands on his hips while pondering if he should give the ginger some time to himself or go attempt to comfort.

“Geez, what’s his problem?” A familiar voice asked a few feet away.

Daniel turned his head to see Max walking towards him while his eyes fixated on the cabin.

“It’s best if you don’t get involved right now.” Daniel said.

“Well I’m hungry.”

“Didn’t we just have lunch before he left?”

“Yeah but like,” Max paused, “I’m hungry. You should do something about that.”

Daniel glanced at the cabin, figuring he ought to give David some time alone for a bit before barging in. He sighed, “Alright. We’ll go get snacks since dinner won’t be for a few more hours.”

Max grinned and led the way to the main hall where Daniel followed him.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_________

By the time the sun had set and dinner was over, Daniel came back to the cabin, knocking on the door again like he did after they had their snack break. He tried for the handle but it was still locked. His fist hit the surface,

“David, you can’t keep me locked out of my own room all night.”

There was no response, the curtains were drawn and he couldn’t see inside. 

“You know I’m here for you. I don’t know what you’re going through but you don’t have to do this alone. We don’t have to say anything, just let me inside.”

_'Aaaand still nothing.'_

He could have gotten angry and raised his voice, or break the window. But he knew David was safe, just emotional. He doubted David would do something as brash as killing himself over something like this. He’d wait it out.

He sat on the porch steps, listening to the sounds of nature for as long as he could handle. Eventually he started looking around for a spare key, thinking there’d be one just in case of an incident involving a camper bunkering in the cabins as a prank or something. He just didn’t know where it would be.

After looking around the porch for a secret spot for a key and coming up with nothing, he sat back down to wait it out. 

His eyes were shut until a light shone at them, headlights from a car pulling up to the camp. 

_‘Is that Campbell?’_ He asked himself while blocking the light from his eyes with his hand. _‘Did David tell him?’_

The lights didn’t go off as the door opened and a figure stepped out.

“Where’s David?” The person asked.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Daniel asked as he recognized the voice and then the figure itself as it approached.

“David asked me to come.” Jasper replied, blocking the light from Daniel’s face as he stood in front of him. “He said one of the kids has been acting strange. Said he wanted the extra help.”

“Well I already took care of that problem. But we have another one now.”

“What? What happened?”

“I’d say to ask him yourself but he won’t open the door. Or even answer from the other side.”

Jasper looked up towards the cabin door, “Daivd? He locked himself inside?”

“Yep. Can’t even brush my teeth. Super convenient.” Daniel said sarcastically. 

“What’d you do?” Jasper accused, meeting his eyes.

_“Me?”_

“No, I was talking to my shadow.” Jasper replied with the same tone of sarcasm. “He wouldn’t do that out of the blue. So what happened?”

“He found out about the family secret.”

Jasper raised an eyebrow.

“You know,” Daniel continued, “The one you and Campbell kept from him all these years.”

“What? How?”

“I told him.” Daniel said casually.

“You _what?”_

“You heard me. Campbell told me when I got here, I thought about it for a month, then came to the conclusion that he deserved to know the truth. Seriously, with how much you boasted about doing what’s best for him, you sure are hypocritical. But I knew you weren’t the always righteous childhood friend.” He smirked, “The truth was going to spill eventually.”

“Oh like you know anything about being honest.”

Daniel stood up to meet his height, although he towered by a few spare inches, “You’ve been keeping up a lie for how many years?”

“It was to protect him.”

“Answer me.”

“You can do the math yourself. You shouldn’t have--”

“My guess is at least a decade. So, longer or shorter than the amount of time you’ve liked him? Surely Campbell didn’t tell you that big of a secret that young…”

“I’m not doing this with you right now. You shouldn’t have fucking told him. How long has he been in there?”

“A few hours. But why do you think that, seriously? Have you really thought it was for his best interest his whole life because Campbell convinced you it was? Do you just plan on sheltering him until he dies?”

“You don’t know what he could have done, what he could still do. He could fucking kill himself all because you told him. The least you could have done is let me know beforehand so I could make sure he was safe. I could have talked him through it without getting locked out of our own room. The way you handled this is--”

Daniel cut him off again, “The way I handled it? If you could have handled this better then that really adds onto my curiosity of why you never told him yourself.”

“Did you hear me? He could have killed himself! Do you even know if he’s alive in there?”

“Of course he is. You may not believe it but I care for him, more than you or Cameron. I know him better than you. You may believe that time is in your favor, but time means nothing if you don’t use it to your advantage. And you haven’t done anything with it. I have this under control, you should go back home, Jasper.”

“I didn’t drive all fucking day to be sent back without even checking in on him.” Jasper said as he tried to walk past to the door. The back of his collar was yanked, tripping him to the ground. “What the fuck is your issue?!”

_“I said,_ I have this under control. Now go home.”

“I’m not leaving.” He attempted to get up but Daniel kicked him down, pressing against his chest with the sole of his shoe against the grass as if he was a cockroach. “Get the fuck off me!”

“I should kill you already.”

“Dude, I’m giving you a fucking warning, get off of me.”

Instead, the weight increased to the point it was difficult to breathe. He had no choice but to turn his body quickly while pulling the leg in the other direction to cause Daniel to lose balance. It didn’t knock the blonde over but it sure pissed him off, so by the time Jasper got up, the blonde pinned him to the hood of the car while holding onto his collar.

“Let me fucking _speak!”_ Daniel spat in his face.

“You’re _always_ talking! Shut the fuck up for once! You really think fighting is worth it right now?! This is about David! Not me, not Campbell, especially not you. Stop being a narcissist for five minutes and maybe we’ll get somewhere!”

Rather than yelling back or opting for an actual conversation, Daniel landed a fist at the other male’s face out of adrenaline. And like any hit, it didn’t come alone. More followed after the first but he didn’t get far before Jasper resisted. To his surprise the supposedly weaker male could pack a punch himself, a full forced right hook like his sudden break at the carnival. It knocked Daniel off enough for the tables to turn as Jasper used the support of the car to bring his legs up and kick his opponent away.

Jasper slid off the hood, not even sparing a moment to attempt at giving Daniel another chance of calming down. Instead he walked over only to swing again, and again, and again, not giving him the odds to dodge or throw one back. He was so caught up in bringing the psychopath to the ground and getting out his pent up rage that he didn’t notice the bystanders who came to watch. If he had the breath to yell as well, he would have. He would have finally spoken his mind, but luckily it seemed to translate through his hands. Daniel’s face was full of not just pain but a mix of anger, confusion, and disbelief. Even Jasper wasn’t sure how he managed to catch Daniel off guard just enough to overpower him. 

Even growing up he was never the strongest in his classes, so at one point he did take up boxing. It wasn’t even for long, only during the one summer he couldn’t make it to camp when he was fifteen. He wasn’t the strongest in that class either, but it taught him how to keep his thumb tucked, keep his stance strong yet loose, and swing straight. It paid off finally, and god, the rush felt good.

The rush stopped with a shout of his name, shock hitting him mentally when he turned his head to see David on the porch, repeating his name and yelling at him for him to stop. His hand on Daniel’s shirt let go and he backed off, panting.

“David…” He breathed.

“What the hell happened?!” David asked, quiver in his raised voice as he was on the verge of tears.

Jasper looked at the kids who were standing with wide eyes, too many faces to have time to configure. But as David ran towards him and knelt down, he finally got a good look at the damage he caused on Daniel’s face. It was practically all red with blood, it drenched the entirety of the lower half as the liquid was still leaking out of his nose and lips. It was smeared against his cheeks as well, and when Jasper stared down at his own palms and turned them over, the blood was quite literally on his hands.

David was talking to the blonde, making sure he was okay, at least enough to speak or move, always as dramatically worried as he usually was.

“Careful!” David exclaimed as Daniel sat up, wiping the blood with his arm but only making more of a mess. 

He stood up fully on his own, even though the ginger held his arm just in case. He glared at Jasper, stepping forward but almost faltering. 

“Daniel, we can clear this up later--” David tried convincing but was cut off by a slight shove.

“I should kill you,” Daniel repeated his earlier threat, blood spitting as he repeated it a third time, “I should fucking _kill_ you.” 

“Yeah, keep saying that buddy.” Jasper said.

Suddenly, Daniel reached down to his leg to lift up his jeans and unsheathed a knife from its holster. 

“Woah, hey, Daniel,” Jasper started with his hands out in front of him in a display of peace, “I’m sorry, we can clear this up later like David said, this is--”

Daniel advanced towards him and Jasper was no longer in position to hold his ground, so in a moment of repeated history, he made a break for it. He headed in the way of the parking lot where they were stopped almost immediately by headlights and a loud break. Daniel kept moving and Jasper ran past the stopped car before someone stepped out. The car door abruptly got in Daniel’s way but the pause was only for a split second. As he tried to pass by, he was grabbed by the back of his neck by a huge hand with an intimidating grip, like a mother holding its kitten by the scruff.

“Drop it.” A booming voice commanded.

He almost didn’t, but a squeeze against his jugulars made him ditch the knife. Jasper heard the clang of metal against concrete and turned around, seeing the huge familiar silhouette of Campbell keeping ahold of his aggressor. Finally he felt some relief, walking back towards them.

“Calm down.” Campbell said to the blonde trying to struggle against him as he switched holds. “Jasper, lean into my car for a second and get my cuffs.”

“What?” Daniel asked wide-eyed. His struggling ceased until the handcuffs Jasper pulled out from the car were held over to Campbell. The cold metal touched his wrists but he was threatened again to stand still. He coughed more blood before speaking, “I didn’t know you were a cop. Figures though, you’re all good at lying.”

“I’m not.” Campbell replied, shutting the car door. “These are, uh, for personal reasons.” Jasper raised an eyebrow and Campbell gestured to put the topic to rest. “Well, put your legs to work.” He nudged the thin blonde forward so he’d start walking. 

Daniel felt about making a break for it, even though it was a pointless and dumb decision regarding the restraints. Suddenly he was hoisted up above the man’s shoulder like a child, squirming and protesting like one as well. “What the fuck?! Let go of me! Put me down!”

“Yeah, yeah. All talk no walk. Come on, Jasper. We’ll keep him in the main hall till he calms down.”

Jasper gave a nod, picking up the knife from the ground and went over to David to quickly explain what they were doing with him, but before David could tag along, Jasper reminded him of the kids. They needed to be checked in on after seeing that, they needed to be back in bed. Jasper felt a bit of guilt for letting it get that bad but in his defense, it was for his own protection… Kinda. Neither of them were in the right, but hey, at least he didn’t make the first move this time. 

He handed the knife to David before following along with the elder to the main hall where Daniel was released from one of the cuffs only for it to be fitted around one of the table legs. 

“This is a bit overkill, don’t you think?” Daniel asked them.

“Nope, you drew a knife around the kids. I need to make sure you’re not a threat.”

“I’m not! Jasper was the one who beat the shit out of me!”

“You took the first swing.” Jasper defended, arms crossed.

“And you pulled out a knife.” Campbell repeated. “Look, I’ve known Jasper almost his entire life. I’ve known you for a month. I’m not trying to pick sides here but I definitely trust him more than you. It’s not personal.”

“Yeah, definitely not.” Daniel sarcastically said. “How long do you plan on keeping me here?”

“I’d say till morning. I’m too beat to deal with this tonight.”

“Oh, yeah, _you’re_ the one beat. Ha, yeah, _real_ funny.”

Campbell sighed rather than laugh at the irony of his own wording, “We’ll get this straightened out tomorrow… I’ve already had a long day, I was just about to sleep when David called.”

“Ohh,” Jasper said, “I was going to say, you had good timing.”

“What about you? What brought you here?”

“Also a phone call from David. He called the other day asking for me to help out with something. Didn’t know it’d turn to this.”

“What exactly is ‘this’?”

“Weren’t we going to settle this tomorrow? You know, after keeping me restrained like an animal all night?” Daniel asked, unamused. 

Campbell hummed, “Yep. You’re right. Come on, Jasper.”

“Hey! I was joking!”

“Yeah, tomorrow.” Jasper agreed. 

Both of them started to walk away and he could have sworn they were joking, but the two of them shut the main doors behind and didn’t come back, leaving him to his own devices (a solo cup and tablecloth) until eventual sunrise. That was, if they didn’t come back earlier with a change of heart or mind. He pulled against the metal a few times before sitting down in the one out of two chairs he could sit himself in, although his arm was forced to remain outstretched connected to the wooden leg underneath the edge of the tablecloth. 

  
  
  


For the next half hour he rubbed and picked at dry blood on his face while studying the curvatures carved into the walls. He couldn’t stop yawning, exhaustion hitting him like a truck only a few minutes after he was left alone. He was debating on how he was going to sleep: whether he was going to rest his head against the table, figure out a position _on_ the table, or settle for sleeping on the floor. At some point he ended up just leaning forward against the table with his head in his arms like he was playing a game of Heads Up Seven Up. He wished they would have shut off the lights before leaving, maybe then it would have been an easier sleep. Right when he felt himself finally dozing off, one of the doors creaked open loud enough to jerk his head up.

“Hey,” David greeted awkwardly, “I came to check on you.” He let the door shut and walked to the other end of the long table.

“Guessing you don’t have a special key on you…”

“Ah, no. Sorry, I tried to talk Campbell into releasing you but he took the key with him and went back home.”

“Great…” Daniel sighed. 

“Your face is a mess.” David stated the obvious.

“Is it? My bad, I haven’t looked in the mirror lately.” Daniel joked. “Could you grab my makeup bag for me? It’s over in the kitchen, don’t know how it got there.”

David smiled and shook his head, “I’ll get you a cloth.”

He went all the way to the back of the room where the kitchen was, coming back with a bottle of water and washcloth. He sat down in one of the chairs on the side of the table, scooting it forward closer while leaning in so he could start wiping the dried blood off. 

The damp cloth was cold but it felt good, despite waking Daniel up more, the opposite of what he wanted. As he watched David’s eyes focus on his own face, he noticed the red edges of his eyelids from the obvious crying he had been doing that day. It was a beautiful contrast with his green eyes, a guilty pleasure of his when the ginger cried or dealt with allergies. Although his eyes must have looked pretty contrasted too at that moment, he wondered how bad it looked, and how much worse it’d be after the bruises formed. He still couldn’t believe he managed to get his ass kicked by Jasper of all people.

“Has he bragged about it?” Daniel asked, almost pouting.

“Jasper? About beating you?”

“Yeah…” He confirmed, not wanting to admit.

“No, of course not. He feels real bad about it.” David said as he dabbed Daniel’s forehead. “He wants to apologize.”

“Psh, sure he does.”

David let out a light sigh, “I still can’t believe both of you did that. I still don’t understand why.”

David still refused to acknowledge their rivalry. It was hysteric how stubborn he was with confrontation. And quite frustrating. Daniel wasn’t sure what to say at that moment. Whether to try and be sappy to gain sympathy points, or let out his frustrations revolving around his and Jasper’s two year long feud. Or maybe he should have stayed silent.

“He kept it from you, David. Both of them did. Doesn’t that anger you at all?”

David put down the cloth and lowered his eyes in thought, “I don’t really know what to think. I know I’m upset, especially earlier. I’m surely not mad enough to get in a fight like that though.”

“I was only trying to stand up for you. Even if you weren’t mad about it, I sure was. I still am. They lied to you, for years. You don’t deserve that. Out of all the people who deserve to be lied to on this planet, you’re at the bottom of the list. Hell, not even on it. You’re the sweetest person I’ve ever met, you deserve honesty. Family doesn’t lie like that. It just pisses me off.”

“I know.” David looked at him with a sympathetic smile. “I’m hurt, but I’ll heal. It’s okay.”

“I should be telling you that.”

“Right back at you.” David said as he reached out to touch his face, a gentle caress of the side of his cheek. “You’ll heal from this too. How bad does it hurt?”

“On a scale of one to ten? Geez, I don’t know. It’s not that bad. I’m just pissed.”

“Well you sure have that grumpy pout mastered.”

“I’m not pouting.”

“Yeah yeah.” David said as he put his hand down.

Daniel wanted it back on there despite the pain. He wanted to kiss him, bite him. Something, anything. He wanted to be touched. He wasn’t looking forward to the night alone. Yet he knew his usual attempts of getting something out of David wasn’t going to work. If it was solely the fact that he was hurt, without the factor of David’s earlier bad news, he could guilt trip him with ease. Maybe it’d work in a few days after the bruising became more apparent, he considered. He’d hold back as of now.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” David asked.

And there it was, the temptatious question to make him instantly reconsider. 

“Well I won’t ask you to sleep here with me tonight… I know I’d be pushing my luck there.”

“Can I at least bring you a pillow or something?”

“I’ll be fine… You _could_ offer me something else though.”

“Oh?”

“I’ve barely been able to touch you for over a month, longer than that if you count the weeks before we got here…”

David sighed, “I don’t know, tonight doesn’t seem like a good time… Now with Jasper here as well… We should wait till we get back home. Plus you’re hurt, you should rest.”

“Hard to rest _because_ of that. Not to mention,” He pulled a few tugs of the handcuff, “Can’t exactly find a good sleeping position.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to get a sleeping bag or a blanket and pillow?”

“David, I want _you.”_

The redhead looked away in thought. He didn’t really want to, he was still shook up from the events. He was still paranoid about the kids, or even Campbell or now Jasper to walk in on them. Not to mention, he just wasn’t as into it anymore. Not as much as Daniel at least. His sex drive could never match his boyfriend’s. He kept thinking that if they held back for a while that Daniel would eventually calm down too, since giving in didn’t ease it either. It was like the other male had an addiction. He wanted to keep pushing him towards seeing a professional but Daniel seemed extremely reluctant about it…

“If I agree, we seriously can’t do it again until after summer.” David offered.

“Yeah, yeah that’s fine… I just didn’t plan on getting my face pummeled… And since we can’t really cuddle…”

“So you think fucking will be easier?”

“Actually, yeah. I can stand at least.” He got up out of the chair, waiting for David to do the same. “I’ll be gentle.”

_‘You never are.’_ David wanted to refute, but stood up as well, closing in to wait for Daniel to hold or kiss him to get things started. Yet the blonde couldn’t really maneuver with his left arm forced downwards.

“You’ll have to come around.” Daniel said. 

David did, walking around the blonde, “You sure you want to deal with this?”

“Yes. It’s better than the alternative.”

“Would you rather I get you off and be done?”

“Come on now,” Daniel said as he was able to use his right hand to caress the auburn hair in front of him, “You deserve a reward as well. You’ve dealt with a lot today.”

_‘It’s not really an award.’_ “That’s kinda why I don’t really feel up to it…” 

“You’re never up to it at first. It’s okay, you know by now it feels better halfway through.” Daniel reminded as he started feeling his lover up, touching where he could with his free hand. “You’re worth protecting…” He whispered. “You know that? You’re worth losing everything for.”

“Mm.” 

“Hey, look at me.” Daniel said as he gently touched David’s face. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

_‘Finally he said it back.’_ Daniel thought. 

After the reassurance, Daniel took it further with the foreplay, having David sit up on the table to get him off first. Normally he didn’t bother with it much, he was in it for the actual act, but now he wanted David to stay with him as long as he could. He didn’t want it to go by too fast, he wanted to take his time.

Meanwhile David wanted him to hurry without saying it. David couldn’t believe they were doing it at camp, he had his limits, and camp was supposed to be one of them. But here he was, back against the main dining table with a hand over his mouth despite the empty room. Daniel was being so considerate this time, he thought, treating him like he was fragile. It was a rarity he wanted to appreciate. But he was anxious, _yet when was he not?_ Especially around Daniel. It was pretty ironic, how the person he was considered closest to was the one he had the most anxiety towards. He expected the feeling to be gone after the first few months of dating but it was still there after years, so he wondered how many more it’d take.

He whined at the sudden penetration he didn’t expect, although it was slower and wetter than it usually was, so it wasn’t much out of pain, only surprise. After that, it went how it always did (except for Daniel’s abundance of wounds he stared up at). He was starting to get used to it again, at least.

In the middle of fucking, Daniel started chuckling to himself.

“What is it?” David asked, genuinely confused. Surely Daniel wasn’t laughing _at him._

“Nothing, it’s just funny that I’m the one handcuffed for once. And under such odd circumstances too.”

David smiled back, “I guess so.”

Soon he was flipped over, well, told to. Daniel couldn’t physically force him around as easily with the temporary handicap. David would have never assumed he’d be back here like this, at his childhood camp in a room he stepped into hundreds of times with only the ingenuous intentions. God, if his uncle (or well, dad) found him like this, he wouldn’t know what to do or say. Same went for the kids.

It was almost over though. He could tell from the quicker pace change and annoying metallic reverberations from the handcuffs. 

He almost forced himself to climax before Daniel pulled out, but it happened sooner than he predicted. His hair was yanked and he was brought to the floor, and the moment he turned himself around he had to close his eyes from the surprise shot of cum to the face. 

“Fuck, sorry.” Daniel said breathily. “Ugh, fuck.” _‘Still not enough.’_ He still wasn’t satisfied.

David opened his eyes slowly, with a slight look of disgust, “It’s okay…”

The blonde reached for the bloody cloth and wiped David’s face messily.

“Wait, wait, stop!” David protested.

“I’m only cleaning you off.” Daniel stated, finishing up. “There.” He lightly patted David’s cheek with his hand, “Good boy.”

David wiped himself off with his arm instinctively and complained, “Now I’ve got your gross blood on me. I could have gotten a new one.”

“And walk around with my cum on your face?” Daniel asked, amused. 

“You know what I mean. I can go wash off in the kitchen.”

“Don’t you want to finish up?” Daniel asked.

“You’re done, aren’t you?” 

“Yeah, but are you? Come here.” He scooted the chair closer with his foot, sitting back down and patted his lap. 

“What do you plan on doing?”

“Find out.”

He could have walked out if he wanted to, Daniel was constricted to that space. But he stood up only to sit back down on his boyfriend’s lap and listened to his commands of leaning back and spreading his legs. Instead of anymore textbook defined intercourse, Daniel started fucking him with his fingers while speaking into his ear.

“Tell me where to touch you.” Daniel said, for once letting David have some control over his own body.

“Th-there. Just, keep touching there…” 

“Right here?” Daniel asked, poking the spot faster and then sneaking in a third finger. 

David grabbed the blonde’s arm, “Y-yeah.” 

“You’ve been such a tease this summer, and we’re only one third in.” He switched back to one finger as he said that, curling it slightly. “And so much has happened just by the first week, and then the second,” He added a second finger in while speeding up, “Even the third week was a hassle.” Then a third. David whined in between his pause before he continued, “And now look where we are...” He added a fourth finger to the set, pushing in forcibly. “You’re lucky I’ve been so good for you.” 

“D-Daniel, quit!”

“Oh you don’t mean that… You like feeling full. Whether it’s from my cock or my hand, it doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t even mind if I stuck something random in. Too bad the options are limited right now… But as I said, you’re lucky, I’ll be good to you.” He removed two of his fingers and stuck with using his middle and index, calmly slowing the pauses so they were longer but the bursts were harder. “If it were up to me I’d fuck you in front of the kids, you know. I’d fuck you in front of Jasper, even your own uncle. God, I’d love to hear how badly you’d whine in front of them.”

“Daniel please, I-I don’t…” He trailed off.

“I know, I know… I won’t. For you... It’s just a fantasy… But you have to admit, it’d make for a great teaching lesson.”

The ginger whined, randomly reaching climax abruptly. His fingernails briefly pricked Daniel’s arm as he came.

“Woah there, I wasn’t even close to finishing you off. Is being an exhibitionist for your own pupils that hot to you? Or is it the fact I mentioned your childhood friend. Or God, was it the uncle part? You’re such a pervert. Although, I don’t really know what we’d call Campbell now. I guess he’d still count as your dad--”

_“Stop.”_

“My bad. You know how I get when I’m talkative.” He took his fingers out and let David get off of his lap. “Did I go too far?”

_‘Obviously.’_ “Yeah, but it doesn’t matter… I’m done now. It’s late.” David said, starting to clean up and put his clothes back on. He was about to leave, ready to go take a shower and overthink himself to sleep, but Daniel stopped him with a whistle.

“Hey, you forgot something.”

David turned around and noticed that he did forget something. He blushed and awkwardly helped Daniel out with zipping up his jeans for him. 

“Anything else?” David asked.

“Nope. Should be fine now.” The blonde smiled. “Thank you, sweetness.”

“Okay well, good night then.”

“Good night.”

He watched David exit the room, then cursed out loud after realizing he forgot to tell him to turn off the lights before leaving. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sex scene wasn't even meant to happen I've just been Extra horny brained so haha yeah... But aye I made Daniel get beaten the fuck up so that's something! that wasn't supposed to happen either but he very well deserves it.
> 
> also woo! 100,000 word mark! 🥳


	27. Tying Loose Ends

Right before sunrise, Pikeman snuck into the dining hall where he overheard that Daniel was being kept after his sudden outburst. None of the campers knew what had happened exactly, since afterwards David simply told them that Jasper and Daniel “had an argument”, which was obvious, for hell’s sake they saw how Jasper swung at him. David wouldn’t give details though, instead they were forced back into their cabin where they debated what happened between the two adults before getting bored and turned off the lights to sleep. Pikeman wasn’t sure exactly why he wanted to step foot near the counselor even after the apology, he guessed it was curiosity that got the best out of him, as usual.

Peaking into the room he didn’t see anybody, the lights have been left on but no one was in there. He crept in, flinching at the door shutting on its own behind him. As he walked along the left side of the dining table, he noticed a cup but that was it. 

_ ‘Did they let him go?’  _ He thought. Then a chill ran down his spine as he thought of the alternative, ‘ _ What if he escaped?’ _

He wanted to go run and check in with David to make sure, but he kept moving to the end of the room so he could at least make sure the kitchen was also unoccupied before jumping to conclusions. At the end of the table he saw a pair of legs, and when he anxiously stepped closer his fear eased.

Daniel was just asleep on the floor, wrist still cuffed to the table. 

“H-hey.” Pikeman said softly at first. The lack of response made him raise his voice only slightly but enough to wake the blonde. “Are you awake?”

The counselor opened his eyes slowly, unlike his fast irritated reply, “I am now.” He sighed as he sat up, “Why are you in here?”

“Oh, I dunno. David wouldn’t tell us what happened and I figured you’d tell me the truth… Also I brought you fruit snacks.” He took the small pack out of his pocket and handed it over.

“Thanks…” Daniel replied, taking the fruit snacks from the kid.

Pikeman sat down comfortably getting into a criss cross position, “So you’ll tell me, right?”

“There’s really not much to tell you, but yeah, sure whatever.” He opened the package and started snacking on the fruity gummies while talking, “Mr. Campbell raised David, I assume you know that much. But he was never David’s real dad, which he knew as well. Campbell adopted David from his brother… So Campbell is his uncle. Yeah?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s what we thought. Turns out Campbell and Jasper have been lying to him all these years. They don’t know who David’s real parents are.”

“Why would they keep that from him?” Pikeman asked, confused.

“That’s what I questioned too.” Daniel said, silently appreciative that at least someone agreed with him. “I thought it would be best for him to know his own origins. Even if it’s upsetting.”

“Yeah I mean, I’d rather know that stuff if it was me.”

“Me too.”

Pikeman changed positions, bringing his legs up, “So, that’s why Jasper beat you up?”

Daniel stopped chewing, suddenly irritated, “He didn’t ‘beat me up’.”

“Yeah he did, we saw it.”

“Tsk, I could kill him if I wanted to.”

“Yeah…” Pikeman agreed, then forced more questions on the man, “Did you mean what you said? Were you going to actually do it? Is that why they put you here?”

“Uh huh… Well, I wasn’t really going to “kill” him…”

“So you didn’t mean it…”

Daniel sighed. He _ did _ mean it. He should have killed Jasper earlier on. But that’s not something he shouldn’t just admit for the sake of conversation.

“No, I didn’t. I was pissed though. I was at least going to give him a taste of his own medicine.”

“Then the knife was just for show?”

“Yeah, for show…”

“Okay, I get it now--”

The doors opened and they both instantly looked over to see who it was. It was only David and Jasper. Yet no sign of Campbell. No sign of the key.

_ ‘No sign of being released.’  _ Daniel thought.

“Edward?” David asked. “What are you doing in here?”

Pikeman instantly got an unpleasant look, and Daniel made sure to correct him.

_ “Pikeman _ was just here feeding me fruit snacks.” Daniel said. “Making sure I didn’t starve to death.”

“Oh.” David took the hint, knowing it was something to talk about later in private. 

“Did Cameron sleep in?” Daniel asked as they both walked closer to the end of the table.

“He’s on his way here.” Jasper said. 

Daniel stood up and Pikeman followed suit, not wanting to leave but getting the feeling he was going to be kicked out soon. While they started talking, he inched closer to the table and curiously reached for the cup to see what was in it.

“Don’t touch that.” Daniel scolded.

“What why? Is it alcohol?” He picked it up and noticed the smell of urine, putting it down with a quick ‘ew!’.

“I’ll pour that out…” David said, taking it awkwardly.

“Not quite a five-star hotel bathroom here.” Daniel joked, deadpan. He then looked to Jasper who looked the opposite of what David expressed last night. His closed off body language with his arms crossed and his cold glare was an obvious sign he wasn’t ready to apologize so easily. “Something on your mind?” Daniel asked.

“I’ll wait for Campbell.”

“No, say it now. I think you owe me an apology.”

_ “ _ I owe  _ you?  _ Please, you’re the one who threatened to kill me.”

David came back and noticed the tension again, rushing forward to calm them down, “Hey, you two need to settle things. I think both of you need to apologize to each other.”

“Him first.” Jasper said.

“What? No way.”

“Daniel.” David scolded.

“Fine. I’m sorry that you’re a pathological liar.”

“Oh real mature.” Jasper said. “Well I’m sorry that you’re a genuine psycho who won’t go to therapy for his anger issues.”

“Guys...” David said disappointingly. “It’s not that difficult.”

“Aright. I’m sorry. I should have backed off.” Daniel admitted.

David then looked at Jasper for his turn.

“Me too. I’m sorry for not knowing when to stop.” Jasper said.

“See?” David asked. “Was that really that hard?”

“Yes.” They both said in sync.

David sighed, “As long as you two don’t pull that kind of crap again, then that’s good enough for me I guess.”

“I’ll be satisfied when I’m not literally chained to a table.” Daniel complained, pulling on the metal to emphasize.

“He’ll be here soon.” 

Soon couldn’t have come at a better time considering the old man entered the room barely a minute after. 

“Great timing.” Daniel said.

“What’s the evaluation?” Campbell asked the two uncuffed males, then noticed the lone camper, “And why is he in here?”

“Uh, Pikeman can you give us a minute?” David asked.

The boy nodded and left, only glad that David finally used the right name for once. 

Jasper sighed, “As long as he’s not going to kill me, I’m fine with it.”

“Gee, I sure hope you are. Guessing the alternative is jail. Again.” Daniel said bitterly.

Jasper snorted at that, “Third time’s a charm.”

“Watch it.”

“As I said, I’m not a cop.” Campbell said, getting the key out of his pocket to unlock the blonde. “These are just for recreational activities.”

“Recreational?” David asked, naively.

“Don’t ask that.” Jasper mumbled.

“Sex.” Campbell blatantly said.

All three of them reacted negatively, Jasper and Daniel both with groans of disgust while David furrowed his brows and let out a soft disappointed ‘oh’.

“I may be old but--”

“Hey wow! Look at that!” Daniel exclaimed to interrupt as the cuff was off. “I’m gonna go wash my wrist now…”

“Hey, wait, did you all talk it out without me?”

“I mean, kinda.”

David cleared his throat.

“Well,” Daniel corrected. “Apologies are out of the way.”

“I mean, I felt like there was a lot to talk about it when I first found out, but I’m not really sure where to start now…”

“I guess we should start with the why.” Jasper helped.

“Yeah…”

Campbell sighed, “Sit yourselves down, I’ll tell you what I told Daniel and we can hopefully get this settled before breakfast.”

They did as told, sitting at the dining table as Campbell explained to David the whole background, mostly repeated things that Daniel heard out on the lake, and some new minor details. Things got a bit tense at some points, mainly on Daniel’s end as he still stuck up for his partner, while also holding personal vexation towards Jasper. Yet after they all talked it out, David seemed more content. He accepted their reasons without quite saying whether or not he approved of their decision. But he decided to drop it and move on like it was fine.

Jasper offered to stay for a few days to help out, but he couldn’t stay the whole rest of summer due to the temporary car rental for his ride there. The kids kept their distance from Daniel after their new fear of him, although Pikeman treated him almost the same as they were before, almost. Pikeman would always turn in before dark, and always made sure they weren’t completely alone together. Overall, it wasn’t that bad that David carried more responsibility over them. They went easy on him after finding out through Pikeman that David was going through a rough patch. David didn’t seem to want to talk about it much afterwards, even when he was alone with Daniel. It didn’t matter much to the blonde, after all it could have gone a lot worse. Especially on his end.

In no time the end of summer arrived and goodbyes had to be said. All of the kids stood there upset as Daniel was finishing up packing their things.

“Can’t you stay until our parents come to pick us up?” Space Kid asked.

“Yeah, just a bit longer.” Harrison backed up. “Maybe we can even stay one more night.”

“Speak for yourselves.” Max stated. “I look forward to leaving.”

“No you don’t. You seemed more upset last night over camp being over more than the rest of us.”

“Did not.”

“You were, actually.” Neil said. “I specifically remember you saying you were going to miss David the most.”

“I did not!”

David chuckled. “That’s sweet, I’m going to miss you too.” He ruffled the kid’s hair but spoke to all of them, “We’re really going to miss all of you.”

“Will you be back next year?” Pikeman asked.

David hummed, looking towards the blonde who was trying to make more room in the back of the car, “I honestly can’t tell you for sure, but I’m definitely considering. Daniel is most likely going to be busy with his new career so I doubt he’ll have that much free time during the summer. But if I can’t find a job, or at least can make it work, I’ll come back.” He smiled at them.

Daniel approached them, “I think I fit everything. I’m not sure how you and Jasper managed to pack everything so tightly before… Are you about ready to leave?”

“Yeah, thank you.”

“You kids gonna be alright on your own?” 

“Yup,” Max answered. “Gonna throw a party before our parents get here.”

“No you aren’t.” Campbell butted in as he walked towards them with their payments. He gave them two checks, “For your troubles.”

“Oh, wow, that’s a lot.” David said. “Are you sure? I mean, it wasn’t a real job--”

“Nonsense, I want you to get the full experience just so you know what you’ll be missing out on if you don’t take the deal next year. I want you working for me. I think it’s a good career for you, especially considering how you wanted to be a teacher. Except this one’s easier.”

“Can you even afford to give us this?”

“For now, it’s only a summer job after all. And like I said, it’ll get better. This year was just a normal dip.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank _ you.  _ And consider my offer.”

“I will.”

Campbell then looked to Daniel, “We may share our differences, but you’re a man I can respect. It was good meeting you.”

“To you as well.” The blonde replied.

“Oh don’t give me that. Both of you come here.” He grabbed them with one arm for each, bear hugging them quickly before pulling away. “Remember to visit me. And bring Jasper with you next time.”

“We will. I love you.” David said, giving him another personal hug.

“Love ya too, kid.” He patted the younger male on the back.

Daniel caught Pikeman staring at him, similar to their first day there. Except now he wasn’t sure what the boy was thinking or feeling. Once David was done sharing his goodbyes, Daniel gave him a quick wink matched with a smile, before focusing his attention on his boyfriend instead of waiting to see what reaction Pikeman had to the small interaction. 

“Well I’m ready.” David said. “You good?”

“Yep. All ready and set to go.” He tapped the car door, “I’ll drive first this time.”

“Alright. We’ll stop at a motel this time so you don’t risk any accidents.”  _ ‘Again.’ _

“Sounds like a plan. Alright, you kids behave. Go easy on the geezer.” Daniel joked.

“Good riddance!” Campbell joked back with a smile.

The blonde made a casual salute before entering the driver's seat, letting David get the last word in before they were finally ready to head back home. Daniel had to admit, it wasn’t as bad as he thought. He would miss it a bit, but he definitely missed his own house a lot more. Yet sleeping with David in the same room every night was nice, and he knew it would only be nicer once they could share a bed and didn’t have to keep their intimacy on the down-low. It made him giddy for that day, whenever it may be. Hopefully soon. 

Although, after two months of time to get over it, he was nagged over the grating fact that Jasper had overpowered him. 

_ ‘Well, not ‘overpowered’.’  _ He had to constantly mentally correct himself (to save his ego). Jasper only caught him off guard… But that was still bad. That was still unacceptable. It made him feel the need that he had to get back at Jasper somehow. But he made a promise. He kept that promise. He wasn’t going to let a simple setback make himself break his clean streak. For David. He’d do it for David. 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that ends the camp arc! 
> 
> I hope the transition wasn't too fast again but I also don't wanna spend another 20,000 words on scenes with a lack of any plot-moving events. There's most likely gonna be more of those (and sudden transitions), but I'd like to save my energy on the scenes I find more fun to be descriptive for. And let's face it, I don't like writing casual fluff as much since it's harder for me to plan out, and I spent enough time on that in the beginning 💀 gotta move it along heh... slowly but surely we're getting there. as always, thank you for making it this far!


	28. No Rest for the Extremely Wicked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'll proofread this later but I hope this suffices for now. wasn't motivated this past week ;

It was only one day of rest. One day of peace before Daniel had his own problems to deal with. After the months spent with hardly any personal time, all he wanted to do when he got home was to wind down with reading and, well, his other methods of ‘blowing off steam’. David needed it too, at least a few days to himself to really take in the events and let it out in the form of tears if he needed. Which knowing him, of course he did. So it was a major inconvenience to say the least when Daniel got a pestering phone call that would not stop ringing the day after his return.

He was going to let it keep ringing, thinking the person on the other line would give up quickly. Yet he kept count of the seconds as he was washing the previous night’s dishes. It kept going after a full minute and that was when he had enough, drying his hands on a towel and going over to pick it up, ready to reply angrily to whatever scammer was harassing him at eleven in the morning.

_ “What do you want?”  _ He hissed before letting the person speak. But once he heard the voice of his mother, he was ready to instantly apologize, but she kept speaking with a somber tone before he could say anything. Then the words hit abruptly.

_ “Your father died.” _

_ ‘Oh great. Of all times, he had to die now.’  _ He thought nonchalantly. 

She went on about how it happened, saying it was from a sudden heart attack,  _ “Father never did have a good heart, that poor man,” _ she said. She then continued into the details of when the funeral was going to be held, where it was going to be held, and then specifically stating that he  _ had  _ to show up. He reassured her that he would get a flight as soon as possible, if there were openings. And she pressured him with a bleak reminder saying  _ “You better hurry, corpses don’t stay fresh long.” _

They sure didn’t. He knew that all too well. 

“I’ll be there by tomorrow I’m sure. See you.” He said before hanging up.

It should have hit him harder, he thought. It should have made him feel something other than annoyance as if it was a cancelled dinner reservation, or a surprise business meeting, rather than a dead family member. Instead of grieving, he picked the phone back up to call David to tell him the dire news.

“...So I was wondering if you wanted to come with me or--” Daniel suggested halfway through the call but was cut off.

“Of course I’ll go! I already dragged you to summer camp, it’s the least I can do.”

“Are you sure? We just came back so if you need a break…”

“I’ll be fine. If you can’t get a break then neither should I. Just let me know what time the flight is, I’ll start packing here in a minute.”

“I should probably try and find one for today, after all we’ll most likely be flying into Indianapolis and have to rent a car, drive there ourselves. Maybe we’ll find a motel tonight and make the drive in the morning.”

“When’s the funeral exactly?”

“My guess is as soon as the day after tomorrow. Oh and David, pack white.”

“White?”

“For the funeral.”

“That’s for weddings, isn’t it?”

“Trust me. It’ll be white.”

“Oh, okay… How many days do you suppose we’ll be there?”

“Not sure, just pack what you think will be vital. Maybe a book as well to pass the time. I’ll call you back in a bit after I get the flight time.”

“Sounds good… Are you okay by the way?”

“I’m fine. Just a bit annoyed.”

“Oh. Okay. Well I’ll hear from you in a bit?”

“Yeah, I’ll let ya know. I love you, bye.”

“Love you too.”

He hung up only to pick it back up after he got a hold of the phone book to make the flight arrangements. He managed to get one for that day, but the flight could take about six hours total, so they’d arrive in the state by night. Then they’d have to find a motel, leave by morning, drive an extra few hours… Minor inconveniences on top of one giant inconvenience. Must have been what his father felt like all the time with him. A giant pain in the…

David picked up.

“Hey,” Daniel started. “I got a flight for two thirty, we ought to get there early so I’ll come to pick you up around two. Is that okay?”

“Yeah of course. Surprised you got one that soon. Oh and I let Jasper know, he sends his condolences.”

“Thanks… I’ll see you then.”

He put his focus on packing, deciding what he’d bring to wear and… A sudden glance towards the briefcase in his closet had him reconsidering on his choices. 

_ ‘You always bring a knife.’  _ He told himself. He always did. It was only until recently he would ditch any weapons to purposely avoid any violent tendencies… But not bringing one on a flight?  _ ‘Well I guess I’ll probably have more to bring back after the funeral. Surely he put me on the will. At least for his leftover ones.’ _

He still hesitated on zipping up his suitcase.

_ ‘A small one.’ _

He went for the one he always kept at his bedside in a little drawer, a tiny surgical knife made in Japan with a stainless steel blade not even two inches in length. Not enough to stab someone efficiently, let alone cutting, but he wasn’t supposed to be packing to kill somebody. Just a simple knife, for emergencies. Better than nothing.

Deciding to eat and take a shower beforehand to pass time, he picked David up around the right time and they headed to the busy airport to sit around before it was time to board. There’d only be one stop, but it was correctly estimated to be around a six hour flight overall. They barely talked during the plane ride, David offered but Daniel opted for staring out the window the entirety while his boyfriend simply read a novel. The blonde listened to the soft adult contemporary radio, thinking blankly while staring at the clouds below until the sun had set, then it was just staring into the blackness and his own reflection. His face had healed well given the amount of time that had passed, thankfully no scars or permanent changes. Jasper wasn’t  _ that _ skilled of beating a man senseless.

Most of the flight was somewhat decent, besides the cramped space and smelling the cigarette smoke of other passengers that got him craving. David was still unaware that he had picked the bad habit up again. Except it wasn’t as bad now. He’d usually smoke once a day: no more, no less. He was sure his mother wouldn’t be pleasantly surprised at the fact either. He’d try to avoid it on the trip if he could, or keep it from plain sight. 

Once the plane had landed, David had to wake him up, since he ended up falling into a short nap towards the end. All he did was have a short dream involving his dad, an unfavorable one. But soon after awakening, it dissipated after the after nap haze was put aside and he was forced to stand and get their luggage out to disembark. The time it took to rent a car and drive till they found a good motel was easily as silent and forgettable, only dragging on the night longer than either of them wanted.

It ended up dragging out longer for Daniel in particular. In a sick joke kind of way, he found it hardest to sleep by the time they were in a shared bed and the lights were turned off. Instead of staring at the ceiling longer he rolled over on his side to reach to hold his lover. Rubbing smooth circles against David’s arm, he was urged to use more carnal methods as a wake up call, but knew to not press his luck just yet. He rolled back over to pretend he was alone in bed to make it easier for him to fall asleep. 

  
  


The next day they got up early to catch free breakfast at the motel lobby and make the drive to Daniel’s small town birthplace. David’s apprehension about meeting the family grew with each minute they drew closer, urging him to start asking questions.

“What’s your mother like?” David asked, looking away from the window.

“Psh, uh, well,” Daniel paused to think of the right words, almost like he had no idea who his own mother was, “...Reserved, I suppose. Both of them were. A bit authoritarian when I was around them, but for the most part they were quite uninvolved in my upbringing. But she’s polite at least, if she disagrees she’s passive about it.”

“Will you bring us up?”

Daniel glanced away from the road for a brief moment, “Do you want me to?” He put his eyes back on the road casually.

“Will she disapprove?”

“No more than Campbell did finding out.”

“Wait? He knows?!”

“He didn’t bring it up with you?”

“No? We only discussed my biological parents. He was okay with it?”

“Well I should specify,” Daniel corrected, “He only knows about your sexuality. Not mine. He doesn’t know we’re dating.”

“Oh. Hm. Well, at least he didn’t disown me.” David gave a smile of relief.

“He’s just worried about how other people will treat you. But even that’s fine, as long as you’re by my side nothing will happen.”

David hummed, “Hey, wait, we got distracted. So your mom is fine with it? Will be at least?”

“No, probably not. But she won’t do anything rash. Like I said, passive. She’ll probably give an awkward nod and change subjects. Silent disagreement.”

“Ah, well, I’ll leave it up to you then, if you want. Seriously how are you holding up though?” David looked back at him. “You haven’t cried at all. Surely you know you can be vulnerable around me if you want. I don’t want you bottling up if that’s what you’re doing. If you need to talk just let me know.”

Daniel hummed in acknowledgment.

“Hey,” David said. “I mean it.”

“Sorry, it’s a weird situation.” Daniel sighed. “I can’t say I’m sad about it. But then again I’m not the sappy type. Have you ever seen me cry these past couple years?”

“No… But that’s probably not healthy you know.”

“Eh, neither is drinking pop. But that hasn’t stopped us yet, has it?”

“That’s different.”

“Worried I’m a psychopath?” Daniel smiled over at him quickly.

David gave an awkward smile back, “No, of course not.” He looked out the passenger window again to avoid eye contact, “...Just worried about you.”

“I assure you, I’m fine. My dad was just… I don’t know. Not someone I liked being around. Wasn’t present enough and when he  _ was  _ around, he was hassling me about bible study or academics. Didn’t grow a connection with him. Only thing I could  _ sort of  _ relate to him with was music, and considering his lack of broadness, it wasn’t much… And I’d talk to him about philosophy, especially while in college. I tried to debate him about religion to ease him up a bit. But even if I saw the look in his eyes, the type of pause people make when they hesitate, like they’re really considering your words,” He made another quick glance to David, “He’d still deny.”

“Really that bad, huh? Does that mean you’re a momma’s boy?”

Daniel snorted, “I’m not really a parent person. Neither were that great. But my dad was extra grating... He never wanted to talk let alone argue with me about philosophy. It’s like he knew I was always right but solely didn’t want to admit it. Once I moved out we basically lost all connection, little that we had at least.”

“So does that mean you’re an atheist?” 

“Maybe. I’d say I’m agnostic but I simply just don’t give a fuck anymore. Is there a term for that?”

“Nihilist?”

Daniel made a small chuckle, “Possibly. Without you I definitely would be.”

David made the small acknowledgement with a smile and nod, then out of nowhere gave a yawn, “Oh yeah, are we almost there yet?”

The blonde gave a glance of their surroundings, “Sorta hard to tell here when it’s all fucking corn.”

“I thought Ohio was the boring state.”

“I mean it  _ is, _ but Indiana is just as bad. If not worse. It’s a love-hate relationship with the Midwest. Hate it while you’re here, miss it when you’re away. But compared to L.A. I’d pick this boring corn maze any day. At least there’s peace of mind here. It’s real quiet. Great for reading.”

“Yeah I brought some books with me. But I’m hoping I won’t have to read them much.”

“The tour won’t be exciting. But my parents-- well, my mom now, there's a lake at the house, so if you want to swim you can do that all you want. That’s about it though.”

“I see. We’ll figure something out.”

The drive took another forty five minutes before they made it to the house. The road turned into dirt as they made the final turn and pulled up to the equally rustic driveway. But the house itself was outstanding much to David’s surprise, standing with at least three floors and many windows. The white paint looked brand new and the bushes were properly trimmed despite the browning leaves from the natural decay that came with the end of summer. There was even a cute porch swing that swung slightly with the wind. 

Daniel stepped out right away, eager to get their things unpacked to settle in. The whole trip he wanted over and done with. David took a moment to stare at the building before helping out with luggage. While they waited at the door, David started to ask another nervous question but was cut off by the door opening. There stood a blonde woman who looked young for her age, which his guess must have been no older than fifty. Her hair was in old styled curls, along with her dress, her style in general was very old-school and she resembled that one blonde actress in that one Alfred Hitchcock film… David couldn’t quite place the name. 

“I didn’t know you’d be bringing emotional support with you.” She said to her son. It was hard to tell if it was meant lightheartedly or in a condescending way. She wasn’t quite smiling so it must have been the ladder.

“If I brought him for that reason then you know that’d be quite senseless of me.” Daniel retorted. “I came to be _ your _ emotional support. Remember?”

She smiled, “Well don’t just stand there, come in. Make sure your support dog doesn’t track any mud in the house.” She let go of the door she was holding and walked into the house, expecting them to take care of their things themselves.

David whispered, “Support dog?”

“I should have mentioned she can be sort of,” He sucked in some air and blew it out while thinking of the right word, “Sardonic.”

“I thought you said she was polite…”

“That was more so about… You know, us…” Daniel said quietly while finally stepping in, “Plus she’s mourning, she might not pay us much mind while we’re here.”

“I see…” He acknowledged, following the blonde inside.

“Mom,” Daniel called out, “When’s the ceremony?”

“Tomorrow.” She called back from the kitchen. “Wear white.”

Daniel gave his partner a look that said ‘told you so’ before asking again, “What time?”

“Ten.”

“Thanks.” He looked back to David who looked like he was going to make a comment but he held back. “I’ll show you upstairs.” Daniel then said as he led the way up the stairs that were close to the front door.

As they reached the top David finally spoke his mind, “Such a… Straightforward dynamic…”

“Told ya. She’ll probably do a proper introduction later… Or not. Who knows. Anyways…” He started walking down the hallway, “Whichever room you want it’s yours. I’ll just take my old bedroom.”

“We’re not sharing?”

“I thought you’d want to wait until my mom knows, but yeah, if you’re alright with that.”

He shrugged, “Whichever.”

“Then I’ll show you to my room then. Follow me.” He grabbed the luggage and continued down the second set of stairs at the end of the hallway that led to the third floor until they got to the room. The walls were dark grey to match the bed sheets and there was dust all over the lone wooden desk by the window, along with the bare bookshelves. 

“Surprised they haven’t remodeled.” Daniel said before stepping in to get settled. “Make yourself at home.”

Both of them worked on unpacking the essentials before Daniel collapsed on the bed with a sigh. David started checking things out, well, the few things left behind after Daniel’s move to California. At the desk there was a cup of pencils and pens and a clear jar full of yellowish pieces. After picking it up and getting a closer look he realized they were animal teeth and bone fragments.

“What are these?” David asked despite knowing, shaking the glass a little bit.

“Ah, those are just animal bones I collected from the woods growing up. Surprised my mother kept one.”

“Kept what? A bone?”

“No, the jar. I had a whole collection of Mason jars full of pieces I found. Once I had a whole intact cat skull I kept on my desk.”  _ ‘Was that too much?’  _ “Don’t worry I cleaned them.”  _ ‘Like that makes it any better.’ _

“I knew about the knife collection… This is a bit weird though. I thought you weren’t the outdoorsy type growing up.”

“I wasn’t. Not as a teenager. Those are real old.”

He put the jar back and looked outside the window at the lake in the backyard, then forward towards his boyfriend on the bed. Before suggesting an activity he saw the dents on the back of the door.

“What happened there?” David asked.

Daniel met his gaze to the chipped white paint, “Oh uh, clumsy knife throwing.” After the bone thing he wasn’t going to plain admit those were caused by anger. David gave a silent nod and joined him on the bed, hoping the blonde would suggest a tour of the town or something. He surely wasn’t going downstairs to introduce himself to Daniel’s mother on his own, not after her obvious reluctance. Yet it was Daniel who was dealing with a loss, he’d wait it out until his boyfriend wanted to do something rather than force him.

Both of them read books most of the day, only stopping for dinner which was silent. Daniel didn’t even bother trying to talk to his mother who sipped a glass of red wine in the living room over the white carpet. David mouthed a ‘should I go talk to her?’ and Daniel shook his head no, taking a sip of his own drink-- just water, he didn’t need a hangover before the funeral. No, he’d simply wait till afterwards.

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as you can tell I'm reeeally trying not to build on Daniel's mother's character but I do need a base to make things flow and give him a proper family background like I did with David so forgive me for adding her in! so hopefully she'll stay nameless and I can get this short transitional arc going <3
> 
> (also the title of this chapter has a lil reference if no one's caught onto my hints yet shh)
> 
> Edit (8/8/2020): I might take longer to update, not sure how much but I've decided that since I've gotten past the 100k mark that it'll be alright for me to start working on my old wips again so I can have some variety, maybe help out the writer's block that's been creeping up on me. Plus, if I go up to Indiana next month then it'll help me ground myself in the scenes some more! if I go,, I'm really hoping I'll be able to. Either way, I'm gonna try and be more relaxed on myself and just work on whatever I'm in the mood for like the good ol days <3


	29. Funeral

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heh.... heh.... uh... well I surely didn't mean to go silent for like 2 months straight 😭 lotsa stuff happened (good stuff tho dw!) so I've been very busy and not motivated to write at all tbh. Which sucks cuz i wanted to get a lot of these chapters out before/on Halloween yet here i am with 9 days left to do thattt... which I doubt I'll be able to... I've had this chapter written since then as well, but I was gonna make it longer but am just now deciding to post it separately so I at least have *something* to post and can remind y'all that I'm alive. soooooo hi, alive still, hope you guys are too 🤧 I'm stubborn so I'm still not giving up on this shit dw, just taking longer again. got a new laptop as well so you'd think i would have been writing extra but hah... ah well, i'll shuddup now

By ten in the morning they were all dressed in white and ready to arrive early for the funeral to make sure preparations were all set. No guests have arrived yet so the two men were left alone while the deceased’s wife talked with the funeral director. The two waited outside since Daniel was told to greet his family members he hasn’t seen in ages out of politeness. Yet he carried a lit cigarette in hand with an unwelcoming expression.

“I feel like I stand out in this.” David said as he looked down at his own bright blazer to make sure it was buttoned. It wasn’t white but it was almost unnoticeable with how pale it was. “What if everyone ends up wearing black anyways?”

“It’s fine.” Daniel said monotone. “They’ll be too full of fake tears to care what you’re wearing.” 

“Why do you say that? And where’s your own jacket?”

“It’s inside. And they just are.” He took another drag from his cigarette and gave a slight set of muffled coughs and David scolded him for it.

“I still don’t think you should be smoking again. I know it’s a stressful day but your mother might kill you if you come back smelling like tobacco.” 

After his throat had cleared and he tried again, blowing out grey more smoothly, he replied bitterly, “She won’t be able to smell it over her cheap perfume and booze. Can’t hassle me when she smells like a prostitute.”

The ginger by his side crossed his arms, “You really speak about your own mom like that?”

“Just give me a break, okay? Be glad I didn’t get drunk beforehand, unlike her. I’m waiting till after the funeral is over for your sake.”

“You better not start drinking. I let you smoke because I understand that you’re going through a rough time, but I expect you to throw away the rest by tomorrow. I came here to make sure you didn’t do anything stupid.”

“No, you came here to support me. Now be a good dog and shut up for a bit.” 

He opened up his mouth in shock but closed it after realizing he couldn’t come up with a response,  _ or too scared to.  _

“I’ll be inside…” David excused, opening the door and heading back into the church.

He waited to finish his cigarette only to grab another one, almost lighting it before he noticed the first car pull up. He hid it in his pocket to avoid more berating from his mother’s friends and family. Before they walked up the stairs he over thought whether or not it was appropriate to smile, and if so how much he could without making it seem like he was overdoing it. He went for a hint of a smile, one out of politeness, one that said he was glad they showed up, but once he shook hands and said his greetings he wiped it from his face as quickly as it came. Then he went back to lighting his third cigarette of that morning.

They found themselves idle for another thirty minutes before the ceremony officially began, mainly led by a close friend of Daniel’s father and fellow worker of the church. As the rows were full of a white clothed audience, the man started by saying general condolences and speaking excerpts from the bible with the book in hand before handing it off to the deceased’s wife. David was sitting attentively as she spoke but Daniel had his eyes elsewhere. He should have apologized beforehand, said something before the service. He reached out for the male’s hand but shot it back once his name was called and his attention turned to the front of the room.

It was his turn to say something about his father, so he stood up and dragged his feet to the podium to spout out some lies about how he’d miss the man, how they had an unspoken bond only a father and son could have, and the positive times they experienced while the cleric was alive. _ Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit.  _ Right down to the tailbone of the speech where he ended it with the whole _‘without him I will lose a part of me’_ logic he had heard before from others. It was enough, he thought as he glanced at the crowd and finished it off with a quick ‘thank you’ before seating himself.

David gave a glance his way and worded ‘good job’ to him. It seemed David wasn’t still mad at him then. Now if the rest of this could hurry along, that would be fantastic, he thought. It took a lot of self control not to bite his nails from just how boring it was as they took turns giving prepared speeches and choking up over their own tears. He zoned out through most of it, yet that didn’t help how long it seemed to drag on.

After more religious texts were spoken aloud a moment of silence was held for prayers. As the people around held their heads down or closed their eyes, he tapped David on the shoulder and worded  _ ‘I’m bored’  _ like they were in the middle of class. David simply gave him a confused look in return, then went back to praying. Daniel tapped again, this time giving the morbid gesture of putting a finger gun to his head and pulling the trigger, slightly tilting his head to the side to add effect of how bored he really was. The blonde made a second signal with his head to say ‘let’s leave’ but David shook his head and returned to closing his eyelids like everyone else.

Daniel was seriously considering making an exit. He could excuse it was too much for him and he needed a break. But if David didn’t follow him out then there wasn’t a point. After the silence, they had a casual period where people talked quietly while waiting to say their goodbyes by the casket itself.

“Are you going up there?” David asked his partner, worried over his reactions to it all. 

Daniel glanced up at the casket and the line as they were still sitting, humming to himself, “I’ll wait till the crowd dies down.”

_ ‘You’re his son, surely they’ll let you pass.’  _ David almost said but went for a passive nod. 

It took a few more minutes until many of the guests were making their way outside as suggested by the people in charge. Daniel then went to the open casket where the body lied still with eyes closed and jaw forced shut by metal wires. He was always curious about the methods they used for preserving bodies, he wondered if any liquid chemicals were used in his father’s process. The death had been two days, but the body had been kept in a freezer, surely that was enough to keep the decomposition at bay. Yet they probably embalmed the body properly anyways, whether or not it was what his father would have wanted. It had to be perfectly presentable, after all. 

He was being watched by his partner from a few feet away. David studied him as he was taking up time just standing there staring, not in the sense that he was praying or ruminating about his loved one’s life or their father-son relationship. Daniel glared down at the corpse like it was at his own disposal, as if it was his potential specimen, something he would carve into once the crowd was gone, or kick its skull in for the sake of amusement, or rage. 

The blonde flinched as David rested a hand on his shoulder to steer him away, something he’d never seen Daniel do. It was always David being caught off guard, not the other way around. 

“Hey, let’s go outside yeah?” David suggested.

“Yeah, sorry.” After a quick glance at the body he followed David out of the church to the front. 

David could tell he was out of it. Daniel stood with his eyes on the gravel and a twitch in his fingers. He hated to admit it, but he got that same itch from standing at the casket. Not just the need to kill, but the other dark side of it, the lustful part he’d rather not center his thoughts around. He told himself it wasn’t about the person in the wooden casing, just the fact that it was dead. It was due to involuntary association. Something he hadn’t improved since his resignation from his… Would he have called it a hobby? Perhaps slightly, but it was also more than that, a vocation you could put it. Technically it  _ was  _ that, a vocation, a job, not just a hobby. After all, he was once paid to do it, and he missed it. ‘Missed’ wasn’t even the right word for it either, he downright craved it like a bad addiction. Like all of his other bad addictions. 

David snapped him out of it, literally. A hand in his face clicking worriedly. 

“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re not sick are you?” David asked.

He surely was, but not in the context implied. 

“I’m—“

“You’re not fine.” David said, cutting him off. “But are you sick? You look paler than normal.” He put a hand on Daniel’s forehead, not having to move his hair out of the way since it was pushed back that day. “You’re warm.”

“It’s the sun.” Daniel said without looking up to notice how the clouds had rolled in, looking as if it was about to rain. 

“It’s the end of September, I don’t even think it’s reached eighty yet. We can go home early if you need to.”

“I can hold out.” 

“Okay, well, the burial is about to start so after that we should be able to leave. If that’s what you want.”

“Alright.”

Luckily Daniel wasn’t chosen as one of the pallbearers, instead his mother had him wait by her to watch the casket be lowered into the ground. David looked up at the sky, wondering it was about to rain. Daniel looked at him, admiring his features, noticing a few new freckles on his face that must have appeared over the course of summer. As his chin lowered back down they locked eyes.

“Isn’t it odd how it tends to rain during funerals?” David asked softly.

“I haven’t felt anything yet.”

“Not yet.” David confirmed, glancing upwards. “But it seems like it might… I’ve heard that when it rains it means they’ve gone to heaven. Something about how it’s the angel’s tears, I think.” 

“I doubt it’ll happen then.” Daniel muttered under his breath. It was cute coming from David, especially with how it was his way of comforting, but given the person in the dirt, the meaning lost its potential appeal.

After final words were said and soil was tossed, the gravedigger began shoveling more up top as people started to walk away from the scene. Once they were alone David asked what he felt like doing, whether it was to return inside, go home, or stay out there longer. But the blonde seemed out of it again, so David made the move by suggesting they could visit the grave later.

Yet it never did rain that day. 


	30. Cemetery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no proofreading or editing im gettin lazy w/ that shit sorry! plus just trying to get this stuff out fast till halloween ack

They returned later that evening as it was almost sundown, although the sunset was covered by a sheet of overcast so it seemed later than it was. Part of the sky was a set of greyish blue hues on the cooler side of the spectrum while the other half gave off the hint of an orangish glow like the reflection on ashy smoke from a wildfire. The two of them exited the car and looked over the massive gravestones that overlooked the shorter ones. It was an extremely old cemetery so many of the crosses were big enough to qualify as statues, barely maintained through the century of erosion from rain and wind, yet they still stood despite the wide cracks and slight tilts like miniature Towers of Pisa. It was a gloomy sight, even with the fresh flowers and offerings placed on many of the newer graves.

“Should I keep the car on? For the headlights?” David asked. “It’ll be dark soon.”

“No, it’s a waste of gasoline.” Daniel replied. “Might be long.”

“Oh, alright, yeah. Take your time.”

“You don’t have to wait here.” 

“You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. You don’t have to give me space anymore.” Daniel said before strolling through the middle of the graves where a wider space was made to walk. David followed behind him, eyeing the rows of tombstones with unease. Placed perfectly in the middle at the end was the gravestone of which they came for, a giant cross with a heavy square base to keep it from falling. Daniel stood at the edge of the bed of fresh soil, lighting another cigarette as David crossed his arms. They stood in silence, one that dragged on as long as it took for Daniel to finish each extended inhale and exhale until his fingers were close to being burnt. 

“I’m sure he--”

“Don’t start.” Daniel cut off, discarding his cigarette by the other male’s shoes. 

“I’m only trying to help.” 

“You want to help me? Get on your knees then. That’s more useful to me than any set of melodramatic dialogue you can fabricate on the spot.”

Instead David just gave him a disgusted expression, “What’s wrong with you?”

“You’re asking me that at my father’s grave, first of all. And that’s quite the one-eighty you pulled there.”

“You’ve been acting different for much longer than the past few days.”

“Really? How so?”

He was scared of confronting, gut instinct telling him to back down while he could— it wasn’t the time nor the place— but he persisted with his answer, 

“...You’ve been mean to me.” He didn’t intend for it to come out so childish sounding, and he paid for not thinking it through as the mocking retort hit his ears as he couldn’t bear the eye contact.

“I’ve been  _ mean _ to you?” Daniel repeated before giving a mocking laugh, “Really? Is that all you can come up with?” He took a step closer to face the redhead and peered down at him, face barely visible but dark eyes still glossed in the dimness, “Darling if I wanted to be mean to you I’d do a lot worse than say a few harsh remarks.”

Chills ran down his bare arms despite the lack of wind gust. He only glanced for a split second and then kept his averted gaze back on the gravestone rather than try to respond. Every time he thought about speaking up for himself, hell, even gentle conversations to attempt to lessen Daniel’s temper towards him, it blew up in his face like he had cut the wrong wire. It’s not like he ever tried to yell at the other male or purposely anger him, but it seemed like whatever approach he used, it wouldn’t end up in a favorable outcome. 

David backed down, hoping it wasn’t too late, “You know what, forget about it. It’s not that bad.” His glance stayed off into the darkening distance as if he had it locked onto a singular gravestone rather than the blank center with a surrounding unfocused lens. With how badly he couldn’t focus, the headstones might as well have been grey popsicle sticks in a poorly made school project, especially the crooked or broken bits that stood out amongst the fuzzy symmetry. 

A hand an inch away from his face forced his attention back with a loud snap back to the growing argument. 

“Look at me when I’m talking.” Daniel ordered. 

“I’m listening.” David mumbled.

The blonde forced him to look up by squeezing a cold hand against his cheeks, “Then look at me. That’s not too much of me to ask, is it?” 

“No.” He replied softly.

Daniel quickly switched tones to accommodate for the sudden submission, “David, you  _ know  _ I’ve been having a hard time lately, a little harder than usual, I’d say. Which is quite surprising that I’d have to remind  _ you  _ of that. What happened to the person I first met? Always worried about me, constantly checking up on me… I really appreciate that you bothered coming along to the funeral but if I knew you’d shut off that compassion after the flight then I wouldn’t have accepted your kindhearted gesture… You knew you didn’t  _ have  _ to come with me, so why are you acting this way when you’re the one who offered?”

David squirmed his shoulders, aware of the manipulation that was taking place, yet he couldn’t help its effects from reaching his heart. The words picked at his heartstrings and strummed them hard enough to let the guilt ring out through his body as another chill ran down his back. 

“I’m sorry…” David said giving in. 

“For what?”

“For bringing it up right now. I should have waited till we got home.”

Daniel let out a deep sigh, taking a step back to exhale the warm air that left a wisp of grey in the air, “So you really think it’s  _ me?  _ That I’ve changed?” 

“A little bit…”

“A little, or a lot? Because if it was a little I’d imagine you’d be a good partner and brush it off.” 

“Fine, a lot.”

“How long?”

“Long enough…”

“David,  _ how long?”  _

He wanted to say the truth, that it’s been getting progressively worse throughout the months, possibly longer. But he didn’t need to say it since Daniel read his eyes and body language.

The blonde let out another breath of air, “If it’s been bothering you that long, and you haven’t said a thing, then you must love me enough not to leave me at least, right?”

“W-well yeah… I was hoping we could fix it… If we talked about it…” David mumbled the last of it. 

“And you thought we should talk about how abusive and horrible I am, how awful I treat you,” Daniel paused, “At my father’s grave, on the day that I buried him?” 

“Please, don’t word it like that, I’m sorry. We can wait—“

“Oh no, I’m just trying to get this straight.” Daniel smiled, delving into sarcasm, “It’s all my fault. All of our problems are all me, right? Doesn’t matter what I’m going through, whether it’s as little as losing someone or some other minor thing. All little things in the big plan of life, should have expected it really. Shouldn’t be acting differently at all.”

“Daniel, I’m sorry, okay? It was bad timing, I shouldn’t have brought it up yet I know.”

“It’s always ‘bad timing’ with you, isn’t it? Come here.”

“What? Why?”

“I said  _ come here.”  _ He hissed, yanking David by the front collar before getting pushed, leading to more of a fight.

“Get off me—“ David struggled. “Daniel!—“

Daniel turned him around, wrapping his arms around the skinny figure and pressing hard enough to constrict his breathing slightly and get him to stand still for just a moment. His own breathing through his nose was loud enough to hear despite the large gust of wind that whistled past their ears. A warm hand forced its way underneath the tight fabric around his waist, roughly handling his genitals enough to be painful. He turned his head to bite Daniel’s upper arm. Instead, the blonde squeezed tighter till he let go with a loud whine. 

“I don’t want it!” David yelled at him. “Not here! Not now!”

“That’s always your excuse. You’re never in the mood for it anymore.”

“Because I’m  _ not!” _

“Why? Because you don’t love me? Because I’m fucked up? Or are you cheating or something?”

“Wh-what?” David couldn’t believe the abrupt accusation. Who would he be seeing and an even better question,  _ how?  _ He never hung out with anyone but Daniel and Jasper. They were at camp together the whole time. It was impossible for him to even do such a thing. It was another tactic.

“I knew you were always too close to Jasper.” Daniel said while feeling him with rough strokes. “Always goggling at him, making excuses for him. Sharing a house with him when you could be living with your _ actual  _ boyfriend. You think I wouldn’t have noticed? Yet I never got in the way because I wanted to trust you. I wanted to respect you.”

“I’m not cheating on you! I swear, I’m not! I know we’ve been having rough patches here and there but I would never cheat on you!” David cried, partly due to the pain, other due to the made-up guilt he was somehow feeling. How could he be guilty of something he never even did?

Daniel shoved him up against the stone, “Then prove it to me.”

“Daniel please, I don’t want to. Not here. I swear I’m not doing anything behind your back. We can do it tomorrow, or go to the house. Just not here. Not now. Please. It’s going to hurt.”

He unzipped his dress pants, “I  _ hope  _ it hurts you.”

The words alone were enough to make David cry for days, but the fact that he pulled through and made those words come true with a forced, dry penetration that caused instant burning made everything a million times worse. At that point it wasn’t even for his own pleasure, only to make a point to David. 

_ “...Never cheat on me. Never leave me. Never even consider it. You’re stuck with me whether or not you enjoy it. I’ll make you enjoy it again. You’ll never be happy again if you go off with someone else. You’ll never heal by yourself. You need me. You want me. You’ll always need me. You’ll always want me. Because deep down inside you know you’ll always be in love with me. And that’s okay, because I love you too. I love you so much more than you can imagine. Sometimes we hurt the ones we love. But it’s okay. I forgive you. I love you. I’ll always love you, David. It doesn’t matter what you do. You won’t change my mind. In fact, you can’t. But never leave me. You’ll come running back anyways so really, what’s the point?”  _ Daniel only stopped his run-on whispering with a set of more ‘I love you’s’ against his neck so he could feel the smokey tickling breath up close enough to make him squirm. He kept crying through it all.

_ “I hate you.”  _ David whined softly, right before screaming again as another movement burned inside him. 

_ “We’ll go home after this,” _ Daniel reassured.  _ “I’ll make you a hot drink, set you up a warm bath. It’ll be okay, you’ll be okay. I love you.” _

David shook his head from side to side while raising his voice, “I’m going  _ home.” _

Daniel laughed lightly, “You can’t get a flight tonight, and you’re not making that drive. You have nowhere to go.  _ It’ll be okay.  _ Trust me, this is almost as uncomfortable for me as it is for you. God, sometimes I wish you had a cunt so it’d be easier for both of us. Maybe then you wouldn’t complain so much about doing it. I can barely move at this rate. Too fucking dry. What a shame.”

_ “Then why don’t you stop?” _ His voice croaked out.

“Well that’d be frustrating then, wouldn’t it? You know I hate edging.”

He turned to begging,  _ “Please stop already.”  _

Usually Daniel wouldn’t have, but it really wasn’t as comfortable as he wanted it to be.

He slid out and offered a deal, “I’ll stop if you use your throat. Then we can go back to the house. Then we can try to work on booking a flight back home tomorrow. Sound good?” After a moment too long without response, he pulled the red hair back, “I said, does that sound good to you?”

David looked up at the eyes he could barely make out anymore, rather than glossy gems they looked like in the light, it seemed as if the day itself had raked his eyeballs over the horizon along with the sun. However he could still make out that grin across the man’s face, skin wrinkled at the sides like stretched leather on a mannequin. He finally voiced out an agreement so he no longer had to look, only put his mouth and throat to use until he threw up as an excuse not to go any further. Gagging till he vomited usually worked, yet Daniel didn’t even bother to wipe it off his face for him or go slower. Instead the blonde persisted more forcefully; hair between his fingers tugging hard enough that it could cause bald spots, pulling David’s skull forward fast enough to cause a mild concussion. 

It lasted for an eternity it seemed, so much that after the tears stopped flowing and he let his jaw relax, he risked grazing his teeth against the hard shaft enough to get a rough slap. 

“Don’t bite me.”

_ ‘I wasn’t trying to.’  _ David wanted to defend. He still couldn’t believe the earlier accusation. Did Daniel really believe that? Or was it to make him feel bad on purpose? He immediately shut down the internal conflict in his head, too tired to think of the details right now. He’d save the stress for tomorrow when he was going home, try to figure out how he was going to handle their relationship. He should break up with Daniel, probably, hopefully… If he could figure out how to lessen the blow enough for it to be a safe option. He closed his eyes,  _ he really needed to worry about it later. _

Fortunately the words worked, he turned his brain off for the next hour or so until it was over and done with and they were at the house. Rather than pull through with the fake promises of aftercare, Daniel ran up to his room, leaving David in front of the stairs where he didn’t want to venture. Daniel’s mother was awake though, in the living room drinking a whole bottle of red wine by herself with no music, book, or TV. She didn’t even bother to have a lamp on, only letting the rays from the lone kitchen light illuminate her space enough to be able to walk over to get another bottle if she needed.

Her eyes met the ginger near the door, surprisingly inviting him over, “You know you don’t have to stand there idly like a lamp post.”

“H-huh?” David turned around as if he didn’t hear her. 

“You look like you just got turned down by your prom date. Did my perfect son hurt your feelings?” She said it in a sarcastic way, but David frowned not knowing what she really meant by it. She sighed and patted her arm chair, “Come over here.”

He stared at her hand before finally snapping back to reality, making awkward strides into the living room but taking a spot on the loveseat across from her. 

“He can be a handful.” She said understandingly. “Well,” She smiled, “More than one handful. With him around God should have graced me with three hands.”

“Yeah…”

He wanted to smile back, let her know he appreciated the change of kindness, but his jaw ached in a way that felt as if he had a dozen fish hooks hanging out the side of his mouth pulling it down along with gravity. He’d rather be resting his head on a pillow, and more importantly his conscience, preferably in another room by himself. Yet she kept him there by continuing as she did that little swirl with her glass to stir up the aroma, 

“He tried to guilt-trip you about his father’s passing, didn’t he?”

“Well--”

“Figures. I don’t think he felt any type of grief at the funeral…” She brought her voice down to a whisper, “If I’m being completely honest with you, don’t tell him this,” She eyed behind David towards the stairs before finishing her confession, “I only invited him because part of me wanted to see if he would express anything.” She leaned back in her chair and finally took a drink, “Anything besides anger, at least.”

“Well, I had a question for you that I thought of way before the trip... But I can probably guess why now.”

“Hm?”

“When me and Daniel first met, one of the first things he mentioned to me was his knife collection. When I was going to meet you and his dad I was going to ask about the fascination with knives, well, since most American families would rather have a gun to protect themselves nowadays…”

She scoffed with a laugh, “If we had a gun in this house, we’d have a school shooting on our hands. If not that, at the very least my husband would have died years sooner… And not by suicide.”

David gave a look of fear at that response.

The woman simply took another sip and looked at the pictures above the fireplace despite the dimness, “Daniel had a lot of unchecked aggression as a child...”

“He never told me about any of that. He said he was well behaved.”

“I suppose he was with schooling…” She was about to open her mouth to say something, probably another confession, but then closed it, shaking her head lightly, and like a switch she went from open to taciturn. “I think I’ll be heading off to bed now. It’s been an awfully long day.”

David watched as she set the glass down but took the bottle that was about halfway full and took herself upstairs without another word. There was nothing left for him to do out there alone, so he decided to go sleep as well, choosing another random bedroom to pass out in. There was too much to take in, but the second he lied down, his brain shut off all the fuss.

  
  
  
  
  
  


_______________

It must have been around midnight when Daniel stepped out of his room, dressed head to toe in the same white clothing he’d been in since morning. Truth was, when they got home for the second time he had fallen asleep, too exhausted to change. But he wasn’t getting up to use the bathroom or get a glass of water. He was being impulsive again.  _ Yes, he was aware.  _ It was as if God himself couldn’t keep him from his job though. He had to get another taste for it. ‘ _ Just one,’  _ He told himself, fully knowing one kill would set him back on the path of a string of murders.  _ You can’t just help yourself to one chip in the bag, you need to have enough to satisfy your hunger.  _ It was the same thing. He’d eat another whole bag at this rate. After all, it’s been a long time since his first one and he felt on the verge of starvation.

Footsteps stopped at the edge of a doorframe in the hall where the door was cracked open in the slightest way. David was in there, he knew. His hand twitched at the possibility. That same hand raised itself to the doorknob to slowly push it open enough for him to take a peer inside. He could make out a form in the bed, and if he stopped his breathing for a moment long enough, he could make out the small huffs of David’s breath as his active mind tired him out even in the one place it shouldn’t have been possible. He must have been having a nightmare, Daniel thought. David seemed to get those a lot, more often when they had gotten in a fight before bed. Daniel knew they overall got worse when they slept together. David didn’t have to say it out loud for him to know, he’d tested it out before.

Something in him screamed to do it. Make David his next killing. He had a knife on him, yet his fists clenched in the tempted urge to go for suffocation. That would end the nightmares at least. 

The door closed as he decided not to, opting for going down the first set of stairs to the second floor. At the bottom of the steps he made a stop, staring at the room across the hall where his parent’s bedroom was. 

‘ _ You could finally silence that bitch with her own pillow.’  _ He thought. 

Now,  _ that  _ was tempting. He had already taken out his frustration on David earlier. Enough to keep himself at bay. But this was an opportunity that was almost too good to turn down. Pacing faster to his goal, he slowed down at the sound of a faint record player coming from inside with  _ ‘Wonderful, Wonderful’ _ by Johnny Mathis playing; a song his mother associated with his father often. With one glance towards his shoes he could make out the dim light emitting from a bedside lamp as well, ruining his spontaneous idea. Giving it another thought, it was a good thing. One of the first common rules to committing a crime was to stray from people you know, especially firsthand, so go for the strangers. After all when a spouse dies, investigators always look to the living partner first.

_ ‘That’s why I can’t kill David.’ _

It’d be too stupid of a decision. Either of them. So he continued down the second set of stairs and headed out of the house as quietly as he could. Instead of going straight for his car, there was the shed. Over to the side of the house was a fairly big shed, all fixed up and big enough to look like a second house. It could shelter a person for sure, yet it was simply kept for general things such as rope and a hacksaw. He knew there was already a flashlight in the rented car for map reading, and objects in the trunk that could be useful if it really came down to it. But at this point he thought of himself quite skilled at this occupation so there was no need to double check. 

Grabbing what he deemed useful, he popped open the trunk and tossed them in there before getting ready to drive with the headlights off. With such a rural landscape, there wasn’t much luck in expecting an abundance of potential targets. Yet with right circumstances, it could be even more perfect than Los Angeles ever could be. There were so many backwoods and fields at his disposal, for whether things went wrong or right. They were there to make everything easier for him.

  
  


On the road there were no passing cars. He drove to the nearest town due to his lack of choices. Nobody on the winding, rural roads meant he would have to opt for breaking and entering a farmhouse of some kind, which he wasn’t trying to get his face blown off by a double-barrel shotgun that night. 

By the bars a few cars and motorcycles could be spotted outside. A drunk could be a fairly potential candidate, he thought to himself. But he bet none would be his typical preference in a victim. He usually hated going for outliers, they weren’t as entertaining. It was often solely due to lack of variety within his range or to throw off his trail. 

As he slowly scoured a small street leading into the town where small shops filled the sides, he saw a lone store light flick off and someone exit its glass door. The figure stopped to lock it before crossing the street about twenty feet away. Daniel parked the car by the edge of the street for a moment to watch, barely making out the man’s appearance in the dark but ultimately deciding it was the best he was going to get this time around. 

The car ahead turned on, lights lightening the road as it started to slowly head off without him. Before fully following, he took a mental note of the store the man left. It was a children’s toy’s store, one that he knew back when he was a child. He made a quick hum to himself then headed straight, keeping a distance between the cars to lessen the suspicion. The long drive brought them to a lone house on a big set of what looked like more farmland. Corn surrounded the house, hiding Daniel’s car that sat away from the long driveway. He kept it parked, only waiting to exit until he knew the coast was clear. The house lights inside flicked on and he exited the vehicle to get a better look. 

A small two story, with chipped pale paint and a tiny wooden porch. It would have been cheap if it weren’t for the acres of land surrounding it. Everything seemed unguarded. Behind the lit up window, he could see the man preparing something for dinner. ‘ _ Leftovers, probably.’  _ He thought. Yet the man pulled out the blandest cereal he could, no added sugar, just a simple bowl of white milk and plain Chex. He sat alone, no family or background television. Not even a book or newspaper to read. Daniel took note of his features; black hair, thick eyebrows, light blue eyes, snub nose, square jaw, big round ears, and small soft lips. Dressed in a white collared shirt and black dress pants, he looked like someone who hadn’t owned a single bad bone in his body, someone like David who could never do evil. The perfect type of guy to own a toy store, Daniel thought.

As he watched the man finish his breakfast meal at the dinner table and continue to wash the bowl and spoon in the sink, he attempted to focus on preparing his plan. He patted his pocket to feel nothing, then the other, then out of desperation he knelt to feel around his legs.  _ ‘I must have left it in the car,’  _ Daniel assumed by the lack of presence of his knife,  _ ‘I don’t really feel like getting it.’  _ It was a lame excuse, he was never  _ this  _ lazy after he made enough of an effort to seek someone out and even follow them home, but he blamed it on laziness anyways, even if deep down he knew it was something else keeping him from pulling through. 

The man inside went up the stairs where Daniel couldn’t peek so it was time for him to leave. Probably best, he thought. It wasn’t like him to come to that conclusion, but he already made up his mind. Instead he went back to the car and called it a night.

  
  
  
  
  
  



	31. Disregard it for tonight (October 31st, 1978)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i wanted to do more with this originally, actually fit in an actual date or trick-or-treating or something, i even skipped ahead and wrote it so I could get this in first, BUT BOOM: lack of inspiration 😔 so uhhh yea here have this weird short time-skip in the middle of nowhere <3

The smell of raw pumpkin filled the kitchen despite the open door wafting in the scent of coldening air as the temperature dropped from the low seventies to mid sixties. A pine scented candle was lit on the kitchen counter as Jasper walked in with more newspapers to prevent more of a mess that David was making all over the table.

“I told you to wait a minute.” Jasper said as he slipped the papers underneath as David held his pumpkin in the air.

“You took longer than a minute.” David replied as he set it back down.

“I had trouble remembering where I dumped them… So what are tonight’s plans? Are we passing out candy?”

“Maybe until it gets dark. Daniel is coming by soon, he wants to take me to a party or something.”

“A party?”

“Yeah, just some of his colleagues.”

“You sure?”

“About?”

Jasper leaned back against the counter, “That you’re comfortable being with a bunch of strangers all night? We’ve always spent holidays together.”

“I know, I wanted to invite you but I felt weird already being uninvited by his friends. He said it was okay for me to come though. I could ask him if--”

“No, it’s fine.” 

It wasn’t fine, not that David was going off alone with a bunch of people unchecked by himself. He still wasn’t sure of Daniel, especially with how David acted after their sudden trip to Indiana and coming home early alone, so being with a load of the creep’s friends as well? It was an off-putting idea. If he at least knew it was safe, it wouldn’t be so much of a big deal, but David wasn’t sure himself what he was getting into. 

_‘He never knows what he’s getting himself into.’_ Jasper thought.

David was definitely hesitant. He never would have imagined Daniel to be the type to force him into sex, coaxing he was used to, but what he was forced to do last month was unspeakable. It still made him sick to the stomach. Somehow he managed to pull through with their relationship however. At first, he was sent home early and was so sure that they’d be through, no more excuses, even if it hurt both of them. Even if he was putting himself in danger. He expected Daniel to be angry, to get violent, to yell or at the very least be passive aggressive. A slow, silent guilt to make him crawl back begging.

He expected the worst, but what he didn’t expect was to chicken out. First over the phone when Daniel called to check up on him, and second when Daniel finally came back two weeks later with a refreshed cheery attitude that was unnerving yet strangely reassuring, an odd paradox that he could barely explain. Now it was October 31st and they were still together, and David put his plans of breaking up on hold. 

Jasper hummed, thinking of what he would do on this night on his own, “Hmm… Well, I suppose I’ll figure something out.” It was a lie, but he wanted David reassured.

“We can always do something tomorrow to make up for it.” David smiled.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Of--”

A sudden familiar knock on glass interrupted, and a masked individual poked his head out from the hallway. Despite the warning, David flinched when he saw the white anonymous face covering.

“Howdy there,” Daniel said, “Did I scare you?”

“As always.” David sighed.

“He’s as timid as a mouse, isn’t he?” He asked towards Jasper.

“Around you, yeah.”

Daniel hummed and looked back to David, “So are you ready?”

“After this pumpkin, I knew I should have done it earlier but I got lazy.”

“Want help with it?”

Jasper interrupted for a moment just to quickly state his leaving, “I’ll be upstairs.”

David glanced to Jasper who quickly exited the room, mouth slightly agape out of instinct to suggest the dirty blonde stay with them, yet Jasper was already gone so his eyes went back to Daniel and his practically expressionless mask, “At least take that off first.”

Daniel chuckled and lifted it so it sat atop his head and stepped closer to the table.

“Scraping out the guts is my least favorite part.” David complained as he was still trying to cut the top off.

“You should have started with the bottom. Keeps it from caving in on itself.” He took the knife and pumpkin to finish the job for him. “I’ll scrape the guts for you too.”

“Good point. I plan on sprinkling some vanilla extract inside, I’ve heard that helps with the smell.”

The blonde cut it with ease, setting the lid on the newspaper and started digging his hands inside, he lifted some of the stringy orange mess, “Got a bucket or something?”

“Oh, under the table.” David scooted a metal bucket with his foot towards the other male.

“Thanks... You know, this may seem gross, but this reminds me of when I’d catch frogs as a kid.”

“Oh? How?”

“Well when we’d hang out by the water, we’d catch frogs. They were really slimy so you’d have to hold them pretty firmly, if not, they’d slip right out from your grasp.” He dropped some into the bucket and it hit with a loud slap sound, then scraped more from inside the squash. “Most kids would be careful, would rather have the frog escape then risk hurting it.” He lifted it up, “So one day I thought I would get a kick out of it, grabbed the first giant frog I saw, they were really impressed… Then I started to squeeze.” His fist tightened around the pumpkin guts, seeds squishing out between his fingers. “Them being coldblooded, it felt sort of like this. Slimy, sticky, wet, but still about room temperature… God, they were so repulsed. One of the kids freaked out so badly he almost threw up. I only got sort of grossed out when it got underneath my fingernails.” He looked at the current state his nails were in and then dumped more into the bucket.

“That’s uh…” David started, attempting to hide his own disgust. “Quite a halloween story.”

“It is, isn’t it? I have a lot of them, if you count that as one. But I’ll stop for now.” He scooped out as much as he could from the walls of the pumpkin and then slid it back to David before going to the sink to rinse his hands off.

Asking about Daniel’s childhood was something David wanted to talk about with his mother, but with her hesitation and his eagerness for David to leave, let alone David’s own homesickness, he never got the chance. Yet after hearing that story, curiosity no longer urged him to want to hear any further. Bile tickled his throat but he managed to swallow.

The sink switched off and Daniel dried his hands on a hand towel before sitting down to watch David meticulously carve the rest himself. The look of uneasiness hadn’t wiped from his face until the very end where he had finally finished up the remaining touches. The blonde managed to bring back the unease when he pulled one of the newspapers out from underneath that caught his eye.

Daniel held up the newspaper between his thumb and index with the same intensity and apprehension as if he were holding a semi-automatic, the words from his lips acting as bullets when he read the print aloud, “Unusually violent and sexually deviant homicide arisen after almost two years of silence.” David froze in place and Daniel went on, “Police have already begun to suspect it is linked to the same perpetrator as before due to its uniqueness of extremity and precise location. Last Saturday on the 28th of October a young man was--”

_“Stop.”_ David demanded.

The blonde looked up from his paper to notice the pale hue of David’s face. He was staring down at the pumpkin and looked as if he was about to use it as a barf bag. 

“Alright then.” Daniel accepted, reading silently himself at his own achievement. Except, he didn’t quite enjoy how confident the police sounded. I mean sure, it was obvious it was him, he had a certain knack for it. But to use the phrase ‘precise location’ was a falsity. He stuck around Los Angeles a bunch, but he’s ventured out a little bit here and there.

_‘Maybe I ought to go out of state more often.’_ He considered. 

“I’m sorry if this is making us late…” David said out of the blue.

“Ah, well that’s okay.” Daniel said, “I lied about the party anyways.”

“Huh? Why?”

Daniel shrugged his shoulders, “I mean, I didn’t _lie,_ just decided that it may not be the best. I figured you might want to do something different.”

“No it’s fine, I want to go. Unless you don’t want to.”

“I could go either way.”

“Then come on, let’s go! It’s a costume party right? What did you originally have in mind?”

Daniel stood up and put the mask back on, taking out a knife and keeping it above his head in a pre-attack stance, “I’m going as a serial killer, obviously.” He lowered it, “I assumed you could go as my victim.”

“Sooo I don’t have to do anything special?”

“Nope, just splash some fake blood and you’ll be good to go.”

“Where did you even get that mask anyways?” David asked. “I’ve never seen one so plain, besides those goalie ones in hockey.”

He put a hand to his face to feel the smooth plastic, remembering the first time Cal handed it to him. At the time it was a nuisance, yet he had been considering wearing it from now on to keep his anonymity if he were to ever get seen for a split second during his outings. And for the sake of sentimental value, it felt nostalgic, to put it simply. 

David was still staring, waiting for an answer.

“Eh, I don’t really remember.” Daniel replied casually, letting his arm swing back down to his side. “But let’s go get you fixed up, doll.” He lifted up the mask with a smile before planting a gentle kiss on the other man’s head.

David wondered what he had done in Indiana. Why he came back different. It was identical to how they were in the very beginning. Sure, something was off, something was always off about the blonde. It had something to do with the use of words and their timing, let alone tone. Something just never sat right. But compared to the direct harshness he had witnessed, David rather soak in the brightness of Daniel’s familiar kindness for a little longer. Maybe it was just a fling, or maybe he was in denial. Either way, he’d let the denial sink its teeth in another inch, at least for the night.

  
  
  
  



End file.
